Bittersweet Love Story
by xXkutsarahXx
Summary: Marui Bunta and Tudou Hikari were childhood friends but he did something that made her angry; he kissed her on her 10th birthday as a present to her!Since then, she hated him. After a long time, they meet again and have to live together. What will happen if they live under one roof? MaruiOC
1. Meeting You Again

**Author's note: **Hi minna-san! xxkutsarahxx here! I'm here to present another POT CannonXOC story, it's Marui OC! Hope you like it!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own POT

* * *

**Bittersweet Love Story**

"She's like a bittersweet fruit that he can't pick yet until it has ripened…"

* * *

**Chapter One**

**Meeting You Again**

The sky is painted with a mix of orange and violet colors, a sign that the sun is almost setting some stars are already visible and the full moon shines faintly. Though it's already getting dark, there are still a lot of people especially young kids playing in the play ground as well as teenage couples having their date in a certain park in Kanagawa. "I can't believe that we skip tennis practice just because of this ice cream," Miyabe muttered and rolled her eyes heavenward.

"I didn't ask you to come with me, did I?" Hikari said with a glare and started eating her favorite cone ice cream.

"I'm just curious about why you habitually skip practice at least once a month, just to eat this ice cream," Miyabe also licked her ice cream. "And there is nothing special about this ice cream. This just tastes ordinary. To think that we come here in Kanagawa just for this, it's unbelievable."

A certain ice cream store stands in the middle of that park, it was quite famous ever since Hikari was a child. She did not mind if she have to go there and fall in line just to eat her favorite ice cream. The store owner and vendor knew her since she was a kid because they used to live near that park. Hikari is under a strict diet because she's a chubby girl when she was younger but she still find time to eat that ice cream.

Miyabe is right, there's nothing extraordinary about that ice cream. Actually, it's not really about the ice cream but about her happy childhood memory in that park. When they still live in Kanagawa her family used to spend time there especially when her father was still alive. She feels that everytime she go there and eat that ordinary ice cream, she feels nostalgic and remember the time that she spent with her deceased father.

"Will you please stop nagging and just finish eating your ice cream?" Hikari pleaded to her friend.

"Yeah, yeah."

Hikari and Miyabe are both Senior High School student in Hyoutei Gakuen. They are both member of the girls' tennis club. They were doubles partner and bestfriend since their first year in middle school.

"We still have two weeks before the national tournament, so I think it's alright to skip practice," Hikari reminded her best friend.

"As if you don't know Cassie, for sure we will be running 50 laps tomorrow," Miyabe threatened her. Cassie is their close friend and captain. "You know how scary she can be. No friends if we slack off."

"I know. You don't have to threaten me." She looked around, looking for a vacant bench but she haven't seen any. "Come on girl, let's find a place to sit."

They walked around the park to search for a vacant bench and suddenly…

"Ah!" Hikari shrieked.

A tennis ball had hit her hand from the back making her lose her grip on her precious ice cream. The poor ice cream fell on the ground, and all she did was to stare down at it, clenching her fists as her blood boil anguishly. She picked the ball that had hit her. "Who threw this on me!" she screamed and turned to her back.

"Gomen nasai," a red haired guy said while chewing a gum.

Her chocolate brown orbs went wide as recognition flooded her system. It can be seen in his face that he too recognize her.

The guy smiled. "Hikari-chan, it's been a while, it's so nice to see you here," he said as he stare at her with those glinting violet eyes.

"Marui Bunta, it's _not_ so nice to see you." she almost hiss as she glared at him and remembered something from their past, which happened in that same place almost eight years ago.

"_Come on, Bun-chan, hurry up!" the young Hikari told Bunta. She gripped his wrist and drag him towards the ice cream store. "Choose any flavor you want, it's my treat," she said with a huge grin on her slightly puffy cheeks._

"_Wow! Thanks Hikari-chan," the young Marui Bunta's eyes twinkled. He chose five different flavors. The vendor scooped and piled it in one cone while she only picked one flavor, her favorite strawberry flavor._

_They sat on a vacant bench and started to eat their ice cream enthusiastically._

"_What have you eat to treat me today huh?" Bunta asked her and eventually continued licking his ice cream._

_Hikari stopped eating and shifted on her seat to face her friend who was seating beside her."You forgot?"_

"_I forgot what?"_

_She widened her eyes at him. "Today is my 10th birthday! This is the first time that you forgot my birthday." _

_Suddenly her eyes were teary. She was really hurt that her best friend for more than five years forgot her birthday. They were neighbors. Bunta's family bought the house beside theirs five years ago. They became playmates and they were very close. He was like her brother and yet he forgot her special day._

"_Of course not! How could I forget your birthday?" he put his arms around her shoulders._

"_Liar," she pouted childishly._

"_It's true. I'm just teasing you."_

_She rolled her eyes._

"_In fact, I have a present for you."_

_She looked at him with twinkle in her eyes. "Really? What is it? What is it?" she asked gleefully._

_He removed his arms around her and get on his feet. He stood down and grin at her. "Close your eyes first," he said._

_She nodded. "Okay." A wide smile form her lips and tightly closed her eyes anticipating for whatever his present was._

_All of a sudden something soft touched her lips. She opened her eyes and was terrified when she noticed what it was. Bunta's lips! She dropped her ice cream. He just kissed her! Is that his present? She pushed him away. She stood up and punched him which he dodged effortlessly. "Yuck!" she wiped her lips." Is that your present? It's disgusting!" she screamed. Thankfully there are not much of people in the park. No one saw what happened._

_He laughed. "Didn't you like it?"_

"_No!I will definitely not like it!" she run away from him with tears continuously streaming down her cheeks._

"_Hey where are you going?"_

"_I'm going home."_

"_Wait for me." He run after her._

_She stop on her tracks and spun to face him. "Don't ever come near me. I hate you Bunta! I hate you!' she screamed out loud and run as fast as she can._

After that incident, Hikari did not talk to him anymore. She was really angry at him. He was like a brother to her and yet he did that. Two years after, Hikari's family left the neighborhood and lived in an exclusive subdivision in Tokyo when their family business, a bakeshop, became famous and they earned a lot. It became one famous chain of bakeshop in the country. There are instances that they see each other in tennis tournaments but they haven't talked for a long time.

"How are you?" He asked her.

She just ignored his question. "Are you the one who threw this on me?"She asked while holding the ball.

"Actually I did not mean to hit you. I was aiming for that brat," he said and pointed at boy. She assumed that he was around 10 years old. A guy with a silver hair had his arms around the shoulder of the kid, he is Niou Masaharu, the trickster and Marui's bestfriend. "That kid snatched my wallet, so tried to stop him using my tennis skill, but this kid dodged it." He explained.

"I am not asking the reason why you had it me; I am just asking if you are the one who hit me. No need to explain. You just have to say yes or no." Her eyes were still in fury.

"Yes I did. Gomen nasai. " He bowed his head.

Her eyebrow rose and she cross her arms against her chest "What will I do with your apology; will it return my wasted ice cream? How about my effort to come here all the way from Tokyo? How about my effort to fall in line just to buy that ice cream?" she pointed at the melting ice cream on the ground. "And how about Sumi-chan's effort to serve me that, huh? Will your 'sorry' can return all what were wasted?"

"No, but I can buy you a new one," Marui answered.

"I don't need you to buy me a new one, I'm rich. I can buy even how many ice cream I wanted and even that ice cream parlor," she said sarcastically.

"Then what are you nagging about? You've become crankier as the years past."

"I wanted you to be careful, and be sure with all your acts. You call yourself as genius right? Then act like one!" Then she turned to the boy."And you kiddo, stop stealing." She turned away. "Let's go Miyabe."

Miyabe pressed her hand together and mouthed an apology before she followed her bestfriend.

* * *

All he did was watch her back as her long and wavy auburn hair swayed with her every move until she disappeared from his sight.

"Oi Marui, she's one cranky girl. You two were childhood friends right?"Niou asked Marui. He already told him about her before.

"Yeah," he said, still looking at the direction that Hikari walked.

"Then why is she so ill-tempered to you? Or is she always like that?" Niou asked him.

"She's really a cranky girl since we were kids but she is kind," Marui told him with a smile on his lips.

"Kind? You call that girl, kind?" the boy butt in.

"Hey, kiddo. Don't butt in to the conversations of the people older than you," Marui mussed the boy's hair.

"What will we do to this boy? Shall we bring him to the police station?"Niou asked him while tightening his arm around boy looked at him, pleading.

"I think there's no need. Just promise us you won't do that again, okay?"Marui look down at the young boy.

The boy nodded vigorously. "Promise. I am just hungry, nii-san. I haven't eaten since yesterday. I left our house because my father is beating me and my mother, I can't stand it." The boy's eyes were teary and soon enough he sobs.

He seemed to be telling the truth. Somehow, he knew what the boy feels...he sympathize him.

"Don't cry kiddo, you should go back home now. Maybe one day, your father will realize that what he was doing is wrong. Don't lose hope." Marui patted the boy's head. "Your nii-sans will treat you for snack, right Niou?"

Niou smirked. "He will treat us." The trickster pointed at the self-proclaim tensai. "Don't cry, kiddo."

Marui glare at his friend. "I will treat the kid, not you Niou. Because of you kid, I had a chance to talk to Hikari again." He said with a smile.

"Man! You call that a 'talk'." Niou widened his eyes at him.

Marui shrugged. "Well yes, at least even she's mad. Unlike before, just cold stare."

"You're pathetic," Niou muttered.

Marui locked Niou's head with his arms making the trickster choked. The boy laughed at them heartily.

* * *

"Really? Marui did that before?" Miyabe almost screamed out when Hikari told her the reason for her hatred towards Rikkai's tensai. The red-haired girl didn't left Hikari's room until the brunette surrendered to tell her all the juicy details. She was right that there was a certain 'something' between them. She just know that Hikari hate the red-haired boy but whenever she ask her about what had cause it, she refuse to say anything and she knows the reason behind it.

"Meaning, you two are childhood sweethearts?" Miyabe asked with a teasing smile

"Hell no! I was really mad at him because I treated him as a brother and yet he took advantage of me. And I know that he just wanted to make fun of me that time."

"I think you should not be mad at him."

"Why should I not be mad at hum huh?"

"It's just a kiss! For heavens sake!" Miyabe's cerulean eyes were wide as she look at her incredulously.

"It's not just a kiss. I was still so young and innocent at that time. For me kissing is precious and done only by adults... You don't know how scared I was back then."

"Why were you scared?" Miyabe asked her with a frown on her forehead.

"My okaa-sama said that a kiss is for husband and wife only. For the person you love, and that I should not do that or else…" she paused.

"Or else what?"

"Or else I will get pregnant."

Miyabe laughed loudly and rolled over the bed. She threw a pillow on her face, but Miyabe did not stop laughing. "I can't believe that you believed that." She said between her laughs.

She glared at her. "I was so young back then, that's what I believed in."

Miyabe just laughed out loud.


	2. Under One Roof

A/N hello everyone this is the second chapter of Bittersweet, please read and review!

Disclaimer: I do not own POT

* * *

**Bittersweet Love Story**

"She's like a bitter sweet fruit that he can't pick yet until it has ripened…"

* * *

**Chapter Two**

**Under One Roof**

"Tadaima," Hikari said as she enters their mansion.

The butler Yoshimori and two of their maid greeted her "Welcome home Hikari-sama."They bowed their heads. " I thought you will be coming home tomorrow?" Yoshimori-san asked her. She handed her traveling bag to the maid. "How was your vacation?"

"Yoshimori-san it's not a vacation, it's a training camp. Cassie and Atobe had a misunderstanding, that's why we decided to go home earlier." She was talking about the two captain of the Hyoutei tennis club.

The boys and girls tennis team had a joint practice. Atobe invited the girls' team to come with them in his private island in Okinawa to have a joint practice for the upcoming National tournament and stayed there for almost a week. They had a very intense practice, their captain and her good friend Cassie became a slave driver. She really wanted to win the championship.

Well, she understand her friend, she too wanted the championship. They still had a good stay in Atobe's magnificent island. They practice a lot yes, but they also had a chance to have fun.

"Where's okaa-sama?" she asked Yoshimori.

"Your mother is still in the company, she hasn't return yet Hikari-sama."

Her eyes found their grandfather clock. "It's already eight pm. Mother has been working a lot this past few weeks."

"Indeed, Hikari-sama. It's for the expansion that she's planning. You know how hard it is for her to run a company established by your late father."

"Yeah, I know." She shrugged.

"We will prepare dinner for you."

"No need, I'm not hungry. I'll just go to my room and rest for now. I'm tired."

* * *

Hikari throw herself to her bed. _I'm tired. I want to sleep. _She closed her eyes but after a few moments she gets up after realizing that she haven't taken a bath.

She went inside her bathroom and remembered something. The last time she took a bath there the hot shower was not working. _Did they already fix my shower? _She turned the shower's pivot and to her disappointment cold water flowed out. She remembered that she was not able to tell the plumber about that. _My bad._

Hikari decided to take a bath in the guestroom's bathroom. She walked inside the room without hesitation and entered the bathroom. She started unbottoning her blouse...

All of a sudden the shower door opened and a familiar face of guy greeted her. Marui Bunta; dripping wet. Only a towel was covering the lower part of his body.

Her jaw dropped and her eyes widened. She was unable to move and think as her wide brown orbs scrutinize the boy before her...He is not a boy anymore, he is man and not just an ordinary man...she hated to admit but he is hot! He has well toned muscles in his arms and he has abs!

"Hikari?" he called her with his violet wide eyes staring at her that made her come back to her senses

A loud scream came from her mouth and run out of the bathroom.

"Hikari wait!" she heard him call her but she still run as fast as she can. _Stupid why did you stood there and praise his body! She reprimanded herself. And what is he doing here?_

Marui was able to catch up to her and grabbed her arm to make her face him again. She screamed louder. "Hey, don't scream like I'm raping you! Let me explain."

"Let me go!" she pushed him as much as she can but she lost her balance and made her fall to her back.

Marui fell with her securing her head with his arm. She was breathing heavily.

"Are you all right?" Marui asked her, he seemed to be worried.

She was unable to speak. She realized how intimate their position was; he was still on top of her and their bodies were too close. His face was too close to hers, and they were almost kissing. Her blouse was unbuttoned, exposing her pink lacey bra and he was almost naked!

She heard footsteps coming close, the door creaked and open.

"Hikari what's going on?" It was her mother who opened the door. Her mother's eyes widened and covered her mouth. Beside her was Marui's mother Aunt Aki, her mother's best friend with the same expression as her mother.

"Get off of me!" She pushed away Marui and stood up. "Okaa-sama it's not what you think."

"Aunt Misa and okaa-san it's not what you think." Marui also tried explained when he gets up and

* * *

When Marui and Hikari get dressed, the two of them meet their mothers together in the living room. It seems like their mothers will interrogate them. She glared at Marui who was seating opposite to her.

"Explain young lady," her mother looked at her sharply. If looks can kill, she's dead now.

"Okaa-sama it's like this…" she explained how they ended up in that little scene earlier that the two of them witnessed.

"Believe me okaa-sama we're not doing anything I did not know that he's there. I was away from the house for almost a week. Before I left, he's not yet here and besides what is he doing in the guestroom?" she asked her mother. She looked at her Aunt Aki and she can see her sad expression.

"Your Aunt Aki and Bunta has been staying here in the house for three days already and they will stay for long," her mother stated.

"I hope you don't mind, Hikari," Aki asked her.

"Of course I don't mind at all Aunt Aki if you're going to stay even forever," she beamed at her. _But not your son._"But I want to ask why, if you don't mind me asking." She noticed that Aki have bruises on her arms and a swollen lips. She then looked at Marui and she just noticed that black mark on his cheeks. She knotted her forehead. _What happened to them?_

Her Aunt Aki inhaled deeply and started to sob. "Aunt Aki…" She stood up and sat beside her. She held her hand. "It's okay if you won't tell me."

"It's alright Hikari, I just can't help crying everytime I remember what my husband did to me and to Bunta." Aki said between sobs. She looked at Marui, his expression was dark now. He was not the usual Marui that she knew.

Aki started to tell her what happened. She told her that her husband Masato was beating her and Bunta everytime he was drunk. He was drinking a lot since he was terminated from work. He lost his job because of insubordination and it was two years ago. Since then, Aki was the one working for their family in a bank; she is an accountant. Masato became worse every day and even go to casinos and bars embezzling the money that she worked hard. And three days ago was the worst. He accused her of having an affair with her boss and beat her terribly. Marui tried to stop his father but he just beat him too. Aki said that Bunta was not fighting back his father before but that time he punched his father. Masato was terribly mad and attempted to kill Bunta with choking him.

She was horrified. _Uncle Masato tried to kill Bunta. _She looked at him; his eyes were full of fury.

"I hit him with a flower vase and he gone unconscious. We took the chance to leave and reported him to the police…" Aki said, still crying.

"Did you file a case?" she asked worriedly.

"No I did not, just a restraining order. He can't come near me and Bunta."

"Why did you not file a case?"She can't understand why she did not do that after all what has happened?

Aki looked at her. "I still love him…" She cried again. Hikari embraced her. She still loves him? She looked at Bunta over Aki's shoulder. He was looking at her too. His expression was still dark.

"Aki, you and Bunta can stay here as long as you want." It was her mother. "You can work in my company as well."

"Thank you so much Misa and Hikari." She wiped away her tears. "We will not stay here forever, after I earn more money from work, I will buy a house for us."

"If that's what you want, but you are always welcome here Aki and Bunta, right Hikari?"

"Yes okaa-sama." She smiled brightly and Aki forced a smile too.

She turned her head to Bunta. _Well, I guess it can't be helped, living together with you under one roof._


	3. Just Someone I Know

A/N Thank you to all who read the past two chapters especially those who reviewed.

Disclaimer: I do not own POT

* * *

**Bittersweet Love Story**

"She's like a bitter sweet fruit that he can't pick yet until it has ripened…"

* * *

**Chapter Three**

**Just Someone I know**

"Ohayou Gozaimasu!" Hikari heard Bunta greeted her lively. She just ignored him and continue eating her breakfast, her favorite clubhouse sandwich and a glass of non-fat milk.

"Where's my okaa-san and Aunt Misa?" he asked her, he was now sitting on the opposite end of the table. She looked at him with uninterested look.

"Well according to Yoshimori they left early this for a business meeting in our bakeshop branch in Kyoto," she continued munching her food.

It has been two days since the day she learned that Marui will be living in their house and since that day she never talked to him, it was always Aunt Aki she was talking with. She will never open a conversation with him especially about that incident with his father. Of course she was worried about what happened to them, he had an intense fight with his father. He was almost killed but she's still thankful that he already has recovered, he's as jolly as ever, she still hates him though.

"Are you nervous with the Nationals?" Marui asked her.

Today was the first day of the National Tournament and the host city was Tokyo.

"It's none of your business whether I am nervous or not."

He looked at her with sadness in his eyes. "You still don't want to talk to me, do you Hikari?"

"I'm glad that you finally noticed," she said sarcastically.

They kept silent for a while as they eat their breakfast until Marui stood up, holding a sandwich. "I have to leave now, my team mates will be mad at me if I will be late or else we won't be able to register, I'll just continue eating while walking, bye Hikari." Just that and he left the dining hall.

Hikari looked at her wrist watch; it was already eight thirty. The registration is only up to nine o'clock. If someone will walk from their house to the venue it will take more than thirty minutes before he reach the venue. Marui will probably be late. _Idiot._

She have a car, she won't be late. The venue is only a ten-minute ride from their house with a car. She dabbed a napkin on her lips and stood up then walked out of their house and was greeted by her chauffeur.

* * *

Marui was walking fast to reach the venue of the National tournament. He can't be late or else his team mates, especially Vice captain Sanada will be terribly mad at him! He walked while eating a sandwich, of course he needed enough energy so that he can play perfectly and show the world his genius-like skills. Later he will eat his favorite cake for his stamina.

A black mercedez benz stopped in front of him. He knew that car; it was Hikari's car. The window of the backseat rolled down. Hikari's poker face greeted him. "Hop in, we have the same destination and besides I know that you will be late so I'm just being a good Samaritan here."

He can't help his smile. Despite the cold treatment that he was receiving from her since the first day that he lived in their house, she still cares for him and it touched his heart. She was the same girl that she knew from their childhood. A cranky but caring girl.

"Arigatou gozaimasu, Hikari-chan." he said with a huge grin.

She looked away and just focus her eyes forward. He just shrug and opened the door of the passenger seat. He chitchat with the driver and did not dare to open a conversation with Hikari, he knew that she will just ignore him.

* * *

After a few minutes of road ride, they reached the venue of National championship. Hikari saw Marui walking down the road and told him to ride the car since they have the same destination. She did that not because she cared for him but she was just being a good Samaritan. _Do you really not care about him? A_ voice in her mind said. _Of course I don't care about him!_ Now, she was talking to herself, have she gone nuts?

As they travel, Marui was busy talking with her driver, he did not even talked to her and it pissed her. Wait, why was she pissed? She don't want to talk to him and it was a good thing that he did not dare talk to her. She just ignored the thoughts.

The door opened and it was Marui who opened it for her.

"Thanks for the free ride Hikari-chan, let me help you carry your things." He was about to hold her tennis bag but she shoved his hand away.

"Thanks, but no thanks, I can carry this myself." She started walking but Marui still not left her, he was walking beside her. She looked at him and he just smiled at her.

She can feel that a lot of eyes are focused on them. Maybe those people thought that they were couples. Who would not think that way? They rode the same car and now walking side by side with Marui who was grinning from ear to ear. It looked like he was enjoying the attention that they were receiving at that moment.

"Oi Bunta is she your official girlfriend now?" Niou was walking towards them. "It hurts to know that my best friend is hiding a secret from me." Niou touched his chest, as if in pain.

"I am not his girlfriend and I will never be his girlfriend ever, got that?" Hikari told Niou with a sharp glare. She doesn't like this guy, she knows that he is also a jerk like his bestfriend.

He just grinned at her. "Marui you're still slow aren't you?" Niou tapped Marui's shoulder.

"Shut up Niou" Marui shouted at Niou. The silver-haired guy just laughed.

"Whatever." She just rolled her eyes and face the red read. "Marui, tomorrow I will not let you ride with me, you must wake up earlier so that you won't get late." Just that and she turn away to search for her teammates.

Hikari saw her teammates just a few meters from where she encountered Niou.

"Hey, what's with that? You arrived here with Marui Bunta, I smell romance in the air!" Miyabe shrieked.

"Shut up!" Hikari just glared at her best friend and all of her team mates started to tease her.

"Hikari-chan, Hikari-chan!" Jirou called her and held her shoulders. "Are you dating Marui-san?" he asked her and shook her. Jirou was always enthusiastic whenever the issue is about Marui, he idolized him so much and she just don't know why.

She shoved his hands away from her shoulders. "Of course not! I just gave him a free ride, why make fuss about that?"

"So you knew him?" Jirou asked her.

"His mother is my okaa-sama's closewfriend and we used to be neighbors when we were younger."

"So you are his childhood sweetheart? That's why he often asked about you whenever we talk." Jirou grinned.

She widened her eyes eyes. "Childhood sweetheart?No way!"

"Then, you must be good friends?"

"Not either." _Well he used to be my best friend but he ruined our friendship._

"Then, what is your true relationship with him?" Jirou continued his interrogation to her.

"We don't have any relationship! He's just someone I know, so stop asking me, you're getting into my nerves already Jirou!" She shouted at the sleeping beauty of Hyoutei.

Jirou smiled at her. She noticed that she caught the attention of the people in that place. Hikari saw Bunta, together with his team mates was looking at them. She just gave him a cold stare.

"Enough of that already Hikari, let's go now and register. The opening ceremony will begin after a few moments." Cassie informed them.

They proceeded to the registration booth. Most people thought that their team was only beauty without skills because all the regular players are pretty. They thought that don't possess good tennis skills but they proved them wrong, they we're the Prefectural Tournament's champion and they made it to the best four in the Kantou Regional Tournament and now, they are one of the representative of Tokyo for the National Tournament.

They were done with the registration and when they were heading back to their position, she saw the Rikkaidai coming to the registration booth. She saw Bunta and their eyes locked. She did not saw the usual glint in his eyes, she saw sadness in his eyes. He just walked passed her.

_What happened to him?_


	4. Guilty Feelings

A/N Thank you for reading the past chapters, here's another one and please leave a review, 'kay?

* * *

**Bittersweet Love Story**

"She's like a bitter sweet fruit that he can't pick yet until it has ripened…"

* * *

**Chapter Four**

**Guilty Feelings**

The first day of the tournament ended and the Hyoutei girls' tennis club won their two matches. They had easily defeated the opponents. Hikari was really tired, she rested for a while and told the servants to call her up when it's dinner time.

She fell asleep and she was awaken by her personal servant and told her that dinner is already served. "Is okaa-sama already home?" she asked.

The girl shook her head. "Misa-sama has not yet arrived ojou-sama."

Since the day that her father died because of a car accident three years ago her mother became so busy with managing their bakeshop. They had numerous branches all over the country because of her father's hardword and her mother seems to be pressured to keep the business running and to make it even more successful.

There are days that she don't even saw her mother, most of the time she was eating alone in the dining hall. She was sad but what makes her more sad is the fact that she got used to it. Her parents were not born rich, they were just ordinary people with big dreams especially her father who just dreamed to have his own bakeshop...which he achieved and now it became famous. Though she still have her mother, she still feels alone but she understands her, she just wanted to continue her fathers dream.

When she entered the dining hall, she saw Marui sittng already and waiting for her. "Konbanwa."

She did not greet him back; she just sit there and waited for the food to be served.

They started eating. Marui was silent and she don't know why he was like that. Marui was always energetic and always talk to her though she was, most of the time, ignoring him.

Well, that's want she wanted right? She doesn't want to talk to him but why is she sad that he was giving her cold treatment. Does he want her to feel the feeling of being ignored?

She lost her appetite and stood up. She storm out of the dinning room with a heavy heart.

_Damn she felt guilty!_

* * *

The National tournament ended. The Hyoutei girls' team did not make it to the championship. Their team was defeated by Seigaku in the qualifying games for the semi-finals. They were sad but they did their best and what important is that they enjoyed every minute of the tournament. The Rikkaidai boys' tennis team was also defeated by the Seigaku but they make it the finals.

Hikari secretly took a sideway glance at Marui who was busy eating the cake that he baked. She was reading a magazine, well she was only pretending to read, she just wanted to observe Marui secretly. They were in the garden, but they were not talking at all...she will never ever initiate a conversation with him. She have to admit that she missed him, oh she missed his talkativeness.

Marui looked up and smiled at her. She looked away and focused her eyes on the magazine. "Do you want some, Hikari-chan?" She heard him spoke to her. At last he talked to her.

"No thanks, that cake have lots of calories, it will only make me gain weight." She said without looking at him, eyes still focus on the magazine that she's pretending to read.

"I remembered that this was your favorite; black forest. Your otou-sama was the one who taught me to bake."

Yes, she remembered that her otou-sama was the one who taught Marui how to bake. She never had an interest to learn how to bake, she just love eating the cake and pastries that her father and Marui baked. He was right that black forest was her favorite and it is still her favorite. He still remembers it.

Ever since her father died she doesn't eat cake often. She still eats cake and pastries but not as often as before. It's as if her tongue was just longing to eat the kind of cake that her father used to bake. She knew that his father shared his recipe with Marui and the taste for the cake that she was longing can be made by Marui.

"Okay, it's been a while since the last time I ate cake so I think it's alright to eat some."

He smiled at her and gave her a slice. She started eating the cake and she was not wrong, the cake that Marui baked has the same taste as her father's cake. She suddenly remembered her father. She missed him so much. Her eyes were teary now but she continue eating the cake until the last bite.

"You remembered your father, right?" He asked her while looking at her intently.

"Thanks for the cake but it does not mean that you can interfere with my life just because of that." She stood up and left him.

* * *

Marui was glad that Hikari ate the cake that he baked. He really baked it for her but he did not offer it to her right away. He wanted to talk to him first but it never happened. He was hurt when she shouted to everyone that he was just someone she knows. Just someone she knows. She really has forgotten their friendship and it was because of what he did to her when they were younger. If he only knew that this will happen, he should not have done that.

Hikari has always been special to him. She was the only special girl in his life next to her okaa-san. That was why he was really hurt when he heard that she does not consider him as a friend. Niou told him to make her feel the feeling of being ignored. He told him that he should not talk to her and make her initiate a conversation with him and then she will realize that she needed him as a friend. But it was a sloppy plan. Hikari never initiated a conversation with him. Although most of the time their parents were always out for business, she never ever initiated to talk to him.

After eating the cake, Hikari left him alone in the garden. He deeply sighed and decided to call Niou.

After a few rings Niou answered. "What's up?"

"Your plan was not good at all, I haven't talked to her for the past few days but she never opened a conversation with me." He said and he sighed deeply. "What am I gonna do to that girl?"

"Let's make another plan."

"Just make sure about that plan Niou, I really wanted her to talk to me and notice me."

"And eventually make her fall in love with you."

"And eventually make her fall in love-" He snapped. "Hey it's not what I wanted!" Marui shouted at the phone.

Niou laughed in the other line. "You are just in denial."

"No I'm not!" he insisted.

"Whatever."

"Are you gonna help me or not?"

"I will!"

"So what's the plan?"

"Listen very well Marui…" Niou started telling him his plan...

* * *

It was Sunday morning. Hikari wanted to sleep more but she can't. It was so noisy outside. She supposed that the loud sound was coming from the garden. _Was that a bark of a dog?_

She stood up and went to the veranda overlooking the garden. There, she saw Marui playing with a huge dog. Marui was lying on the grass while the huge dog was straddling him licking his face. _Gross! _That dog was a Saint Bernard, a really huge dog. She hated dogs. When she was only seven years old, a dog run after her and was about to bite her but Marui saved her. She was so afraid but Marui tamed that dog. He laughed at her during that time and he said that that dog was a good dog. He said that the dog run after her because she stepped on his tail. Well, it was true that she stepped on that dog's tail but it was an accident. Since that day, she hated dogs and never wanted to touch any of them.

Hikari march outside. She will confront Marui. How dare him to bring a disgusting specie inside her house!

"Marui!" She shouted. He looked up at her, he was still lying on the grass with his dog still licking his face. _Really gross! _"How dare you bring that thing inside my property!" She shouted. The huge dog barked at her.

She stepped back. She was really disgusted with dogs!

Marui stood up and touched the dogs head. "Easy, don't bark at the pretty owner of this house." The dog wagged his tail, as if he understood what Marui said. He turned to her. "Aunt Misa already gave me permission to make Hikari stay with me here."

"Hikari?"

"My dog." He stroked the dog's fur.

Now, she was really angry! "How dare you give that dog the same name as mine!" she shouted at him.

He laughed. "The human Hikari does not want to talk to me so I decided to buy this dog, I was not the one who gave her name, her breeder gave her that name."

"I want you to change that thing's name! Now!"

"I can't. She will be confused. Right Hikari?" The dog answered with a bark.

She was really furious now. She bet that her face was so red because of so much fury.

"Ahhh! I hate you!" she stomped on the ground hard as she walked inside the house. _I hate that guy! And I hate that dog!_

* * *

Marui laughed so loudly. He thought that Hikari looked prettier when mad. Her face was red and her eyes were very sharp. Her cat-like brown eyes looked really beautiful when she looked at him like that. He smiled dreamily. Doggy Hikari licked his cheeks again. He knew that Hikari hated dogs but he love dogs. When he asked the permission of Aunt Misa for the doggy Hikari to stay, she agreed without hesitation. Aunt Misa knew that Hikari hated dogs and she told him that it was a good idea for a dog to stay at their house so that her daughter will learn to love dogs.

He bought the dog yesterday and it was not true that the dog's name was Hikari. Actually it's name was Taki. He just told Hikari that the dog's name is the same as hers just to piss her. It was his plan to piss her. Well, actually it was Niou's plan. The plan was to piss Hikari to make her talk to him and stop ignoring him. He knew the things that Hikari hate and he will do those to gain Hikari's attention. He was really desperate to catch her attention that he even agreed to do that lame plan of Niou.

He stood up and held Taki's collar. "Come on now, it's time for your breakfast." The dog barked enthusiastically.

He just wished that this time their plan will work.


	5. A Jealous Heart

Disclaimer: I do not own POT

* * *

**Bittersweet Love Story**

"She's like a bitter sweet fruit that he can't pick yet until it has ripened…"

* * *

**Chapter Five**

**A Jealous Heart**

"Okaa-sama, why did you let Marui bring that dog here in our house? You know I really hate dogs and yet you let him bring that specie inside our house!" Hikari screamed on the telephone, her mother was on the other line.

She heard her mother laughed. "Hikari dear, I saw the dog and he's really adorable."

"No, it's not adorable and I want that thing out of our house now, okaa-sama."

"You can't do that dear, Hikari will stay there."

Her eyes grew wider. "And that's what I really hate about that dog, it's name is the same as mine! It's so horrible!"

"I think it's cute," she heard her mother's laughs again.

"Okaa-sama!"

"Sorry, dear but the dog will stay there and I think it's about time for you forget your dislike to dogs. Dogs are lovable creature, dear. I'll hung up now, okaa-sama has a meeting to attend to, bye dear, I love you."

Misa hung up. "I love you too okaa-sama, and I miss you." Hikari said even though the call already ended.

She sighed deeply. Her mother said that the dog will stay and she can't disobey her. She'll just bear the dog's presence as much as she could. She's so stressed and the best way for her to relax is to swim. It's been her weekly habit to soak and swim in the pool. It is her best way to relax.

After changing her clothes for a yellow two-piece swim wear, she went out to the pool area. But what she saw just made her blood boil; Marui is in the pool swimming with the dog!

She clenched her fist and with angry strides, she went to the pool side. "Marui Bunta," she hissed.

Marui's head turned to her. He smiled mischievously when he saw her. His eyes scrutinize her from head to toe_. _For a moment there, she wanted to cover her body from his intense stare. She felt embarrassed with his stare but she composed herself. "Why did you let that filthy creature swim in the pool?" Hikari asked him angrily.

"I had the urge to swim today but it's not fun to swim alone so I bring Hikari with me." Marui answered her.

"The water is now dirty because of your dog!" She saw the dog swim expertly in the pool.

"Hikari is not dirty. She's a neat dog. You can join us, Hikari-chan."

She gritted her teeth. "I don't like to swim with that dog. It's so gross!" She stomped her feet on the ground as she left the pool area and even before she went inside the mansion, she turned to him. "I hate you Marui Bunta!" She shouted at him. He just laughed at her which makes her angrier at him.

* * *

Marui was laughing so hard after Hikari left. She's so pretty when she's mad and she got a really nice body. He grinned. No wonder why she possess that kind of body, she's into sports and in a strict diet. When they were younger, she always eats sweet foods. Every now and then she eats cake, pastries and ice cream, that's why she was a little chubby girl in her younger years, but now she seldom eat any of them. She's not chubby anymore, her body is filled in the right places, he saw that.

Doggy Hikari swim back to him. He stroked the dog's hair. "She's a beauty, right?" The dog barked as an answer.

He remembered the time when he met her again, in the park. She was eating ice cream. Wait, she's not eating sweet foods anymore but he saw her eating the ice cream that used to be their favorite when they were younger. Does that mean…she's hoping to see him again, reminiscing they happy memories when they were still the best of friends? Does it mean that she's not really angry at him? He smiled widely with that thought.

Hikari is not ignoring him anymore and he was happy about that. Although she's always shouting at him and always mad at him, still, he can't help but be glad that at least, she notices him. And if his hypothesis is true, that she's not really mad at him, they will be friends again. He really missed his chubby little best friend.

* * *

The next day.

Hyoutei Gakuen Cafeteria.

It was lunch break. Hikari was with her girl friends: Miyabe, Cassie, Aya and Aya's classmate and best friend, Christine. They were her good friends and she never hide any secrets from them. Her four friends laughed out loud when she told them what happened in their house yesterday.

She scowled at them. "I can't believe that Marui's dog is named Hikari!" said Miyabe. They all laughed again, heartily.

"It's not funny girls," Hikari told her friends who seemed having difficulty in breathing as they laugh.

"I wanted to meet the dog," Cassie said. She stopped laughing but still wearing a smile.

"Yeah we wanted to meet her," Miyabe said. "We will go to your house after class. Today is the regular players day-off, right captain?" Miyabe turned to their captain, Cassie.

The raven haired girl nodded as an answer, a smile is still plastered on her lips. Since the National Tournament ended, the regular players of the tennis club have a day-off once a week

"No you can't," Hikari told them with a sharp glare in her eyes. _Are they really my friends?_

"And why?" Miyabe asked her.

"I just don't want you guys to go and meet that filthy creature," she answered full of authority.

"But we insist," Cassie said and scooped a mouthful of potato salad.

"Please senpai?" It was Aya, batting her eyelashes at her.

"Please senpai?" Christine said with her hands clasped together.

"I know that despite your feistiness, you have a good heart, my best friend." Miyabe tapped her cheek lightly.

Hikari glowered at her bestfriend. She saw the faces of her friends, all looked at her with pleading faces. She heaved a sigh and just shrugged. She can't stop these girls anymore. "Alright, you can go to our house later after class."

"Alright!" Miyabe yelled while Aya, Christine and Cassie were grinning from ear to ear.

* * *

As what they have decided, Cassie, Miyabe, Aya and Christine went to Hikari's house after their class. As they set their feet inside the mansion, the butler and the servants greeted them. Hikari handed her things to Yoshimori, the butler. They walked to the entertainment room and made themselves comfortable on the sofa.

"Yoshimori, bring my friends snacks and please prepare plenty, you know how glutton these friends of mine are," Hikari told their butler.

"Hai, Hikari-sama." Yoshimori stormed out of the room.

"Hikari, where is Hikari?" Miyabe asked her with a huge grin.

Miyabe is teasing he, she can't help but roll her eyes. "I don't know."

Miyabe grunted. "Hikari, I wanted to meet her."

"I wanted to meet her too," Aya said excitedly. "I super like dogs senpai! Let's meet Hikari please?"

She scowled at them. They're so insatiable! "Fine!" She called one of the servants. "Where's the dog?"

"The dog is with Marui-sama in the garden," the servant answered.

"Thank you," she said and the servant left them.

"Let's go to the garden!" Miyabe shrieked and stood up. "Come on, girls!" She strode away with a heavy sigh and they just followed her.

When they reached the garden, they saw Marui, together with Niou playing Frisbee with the big dog. Marui threw the Frisbee away and the dog run after it, jumped and caught it using its mouth. The dog run back to Marui and Niou, the two stroked the fur of the dog.

"Good dog," Marui praised and the dog licked his face.

"Marui," Niou called him. "We have audience." Niou said with an arched eyebrow while looking at them. Marui looked towards them and smile.

They stride towards the two Rikkai boys.

"I hope you don't mind if I invited my friend Niou here." Marui said.

"It's alright. By the way my friends here wanted to meet your dog," Hikari said. "You know them already, right?"

"Yeah, I know them, but let me introduce myself properly, I'm Marui Bunta.," Marui said.

"And I am, Niou Masaharu, glad to meet you girls and I'm glad to see you again Aya-chan." Niou smiled widely at them, or is that smile only for Aya?Ah she remembered now, Cassie once told them that Niou and Aya are ex-lovers but she look like she's not mad at him, they seem to have good relationship.

"I'm Minami Cassandra," Cassie introduced herself. "And of course you knew my sister, Kirihara Aya, she attended Rikkai during her middle school and until last year," she gave Marui a smile but unfortunately, for Niou, he received a scowl from their captain. "This is Mogami Christine, Aya's best friend," she gestured to the raven-haired girl.

"I'm Akutagawa Miyabe." Miyabe extended her hands to Marui and Niou. She smiled at them. "My brother idolizes you a lot, Marui-kun."

He smiled. "Yeah, I know, since middle school. Are you a second year or Jirou's twin?" Marui asked Miyabe.

"I'm a third year and no, were not twins, Jirou-nii-sama is just three months older than me," Miyabe stated.

"Three months older?" Marui looked at Miyabe with a puzzled look on his face.

"Same father, different mothers. You know our father is one hell of a womanizer…" Miyabe answered. "I don't want to elaborate anymore." Miyabe laughed.

The dog barked. "Oh, I forgot!" Marui exclaimed. Marui pulled the big dog in his collar and dragged it near them. "This is Hikari, my dog." The dog barked loudly. "She said that she's pleased to meet you." Marui grinned.

"He's so cute!" Miyabe kneel down and stroked the dog's furry body. The dog stuck his tongue out, it seemed so enjoyed with what Miyabe is doing.

What's cute about that dog? Hikari thought

A moment later, Aya, Cassie and Christine joined Miyabe in stroking the dog' fur. The dog licked their faces happily, his tail was waging energetically. _Really gross! _The garden was filled with the girls happy laughs as they were playing with the dog.

"Hikari-chan, aren't you going to join your friends?" Niou asked her.

Hikari's brow rose. She called her Hikari-chan like they were close friends? Well, she doesn't want to befriend Marui's bestfriend. For sure, they got the same attitude, both of them are jerk!

"Niou, Hikari-chan doesn't like dogs," Marui told his friend.

"Too bad, doggy Hikari is really fun to play with. You should at least try, Hikari-chan," Niou said with smile on his lips.

"I don't have the intention to even lay a finger on that dog," Hikari said with disgust. She faced Niou. "And will you please stop calling me Hikari-chan, we're not close friend."

Niou smirked. Marui looked at his bestfriend. Marui was so sure that Niou will back fire at Hikari. He looked at his friend in the eyes, asking him not to do what he please. Niou seemed like he got his message even through eye contact. He just wanted to piss Hikari. Niou chuckled. "Alright, I won't call you that again."

"Good," Hikari said.

The servants came to them with plenty of food. They settled at the gazebo and eat their snack together. Niou sat beside Aya and talked to each other. On the other hand, Hikari, Cassie and Christine is having a song jam. Christine strums her guitar and played a song entitled More Than Words. Christine sang the first stanza and then Cassie. Then Hikari sang the chorus part. When she was done with singing the chorus, Hikari's gaze went to Miyabe and Marui.

"You really got a nice and cute dog," Miyabe spoke to Marui. The two were occupying a good for two metal chair. Why, they seemed so close together!

The dog was in front of them, licking Miyabe's knees. Miyabe laughed loudly. "It tickles!" Miyabe cram in Marui's body. They laughed together heartily. She frowned. They just met and yet they easily become close to each other!

Miyabe's face went closer to Marui's face, near his ear. Miyabe was whispering something to Marui. Hikari saw his lips arched in a smile. Then, it was Marui now who was whispering something to Miyabe. Miyabe chuckled. _What are they whispering about?_

Hikari can't explain why she was mad inside. She felt as if her heart is torn into pieces…why is she feeling that way? _Miyabe must not get near to Marui!_ She shouted in her mind. _And why not?_ Another part of her mind asked. _Marui is a jerk, like his best friend, Miyabe must not fall for a guy like him, I'm concerned with my best friend! _She answered her own question in her mind. _You're concerned with your bestfriend or you are jealous?_

NO! she shouted in her mind. Suddenly she stood up. All eyes are fixed on her, all of them with a puzzle look on their faces.

She's not jealous. Why should she be jealous? NO WAY!

"Hikari?" Cassie called her. "What's wrong?"

"I…just remembered something," Hikari answered. "I'll just go to my room." She told them. She scooted to her room and slammed herself on her bed.

She stared at the ceiling. There's no way that she's jealous. There's nothing to be jealous because she hates him! She really hate him ever since that day!

Her heart is beating like crazy! "I'm just concerned with my best friend! I'm not jealous! No way!" she shrieked.

She stood up. "Miyabe must not fall for him, I won't allow it," she talked to herself in the mirror.

"But why would I do that?" she asked herself. She run her fingers through her hair. "Now, I'm talking to myself again." She laughed. "I should just let Miyabe decide on her own…I don't have the right to stop her from liking him…" she murmured. "But why am I feeling this…" She clutched her chest. She can still feel her heart's erratic beats. She smiled but it didn't reach her eyes. "I'm just concern about Miyabe, that's why I'm feeling this way," she said to her herself.

She went back to the garden and saw them playing Frisbee with the dog. They seemed so happy with what they were doing. Marui is standing beside Miyabe and there goes her heart again. She sighed deeply. I'm not jealous, just concerned with my bestfriend, she told herself over and over again. She strode to the gazebo and sit there.

"Hikari join us! This is your house after all!" Miyabe shouted at her.

"No, I prefer to be here and you know why," Hikari said.

"Okay!" Just that and they continue their game.

Hikari held Christine's guitar and strum it. She knows how to play it, her father taught her. She played her favorite 80's song; crazy for you, the first song that she learned to play in the guitar. She started to sing and play the song in the guitar. Her eyes still focused on her friends.

_Swaying room as the music starts_  
_Strangers making the most of the dark_  
_Two by two their bodies become one_

_I see you through the smokey air_  
_Can't you feel the weight of my stare  
You're so close but still a world away_  
_What I'm dying to say, is that_

_I'm crazy for you_  
_Touch me once and you'll know it's true_  
_I never wanted anyone like this_  
_It's all brand new, you'll feel it in my kiss_  
_I'm crazy for you_

Hikari's eyes then focused on Marui and Miyabe. Miyabe's arm is around his. There goes her heart again…I'm not jealous! She shouted in her mind but her heart shouted otherwise.

* * *

_A/N_ I know that the song 'more than words' and 'crazy for you' are oldies song...i love old song, and actually those songs are playing as I was writing this chapter, but I'm still young okay! I'm not old, I just love old songs, especially old love songs.

Thanks for reading, please leave a review, okay?


	6. My Best Friend Is Dating the Sugarfreak

Disclaimer: I do not own POT :)

A/N: It's been a while since I last updated this...so here it is!Enjoy reading and please leave a review, okay? Thank you SO much!

* * *

**Bittersweet Love Story**

"She's like a bitter sweet fruit that he can't pick yet until it has ripened…"

* * *

**Chapter Six**

**My Best Friend Is Dating the Sugar-freak!**

A beautiful morning bestowed upon the Hyoutei Gakuen, students noisily conversing with each other, everybody was excited what this day would lead them to. Everybody except for Hikari who was having a laughable, big, dark eye bags featured on her face. Hikari barely slept last night. Really, what kind of thing that kept her awake last night? No! It hadn't because of her thoughts about the scene she witnessed last night; the scene which involved her best friend Miyabe and a certain sugar-freak. She swore she won't be affected of what happened, and she won't let them think she's jealous or anything because she's not jealous. '_Miyabe is my best friend and I'm just concern... Sugar-freak is popular within Rikkaidai he has lots of fan girls and I'm sure she's just going to be hurt... yes, I was thinking about that last night so that's why I couldn't sleep...yes, probably that's it.' _she thought as she started to chuckle. Her classmates started to look at her weirdly as her chuckle become really creepy while a dark aura surrounding her.

Someone called her that made her stop her creepy chuckle, it was Miyabe, standing in front of her as she give her an incredulous look. "Ohayou, Hikari-chan," Miyabe said. "What's with that chuckle and those dark circles around your eyes?"her red-haired friend asked her.

"I just like doing it, you should do it too, it feels refreshing," she said coolly.

"No, thanks. I'd rather not to do it," Miyabe answered with a grin and took the seat in front of her desk.

"And about these disgusting eye bags, I watched dvds last night. I finished around two am that's why I did not have enough sleep and thus have these." She pointed at her eyes. "I feel ugly with these," she muttered.

"It's okay, Hikari. It looks good on you. Really." Miyabe grinned at her. "You look like Po of Kung Fu Panda!" Miyabe let out a loud laugh.

Hikari shot her best friend a death glare. "I can't believe that you're my best friend. Honestly, how did we become best friend huh, Miyabe?" she asked mockingly.

"You forgot?" Miyabe's eyes grew wider. Of course, she did not forget that day, she's just mocking her best friend. "Do you want me to refresh your memory on how we became the best of friends? What I did for you all these years?" She suppressed a smile a she nods her head. "I protected you from the bullies that teased you fat during our first year in middle school. That's the day that our friendship started."

"Okay, I remember now…" She grinned at Miyabe.

"And you gain that kind of body now because me, I helped you lose weight, tons of weight!"

She widened her eyes, tons of weight? "Over!Just a few pounds, Miyabe!" She sniggered as she her friend continue counting everything she did for her.

"You also learned tennis from me, in case you also forgot that. Ah, I also helped you and still helping you in the home economics class, your worst subject. Honestly girl, I can't believe that home economics is your worst subject, especially cooking and baking lessons. You own the largest chain of bakeshop in the country and yet you don't know how to bake, that's really unbelievable." Miyabe shook her head. "Ah and one more thing, I also t─" Hikari put her finger on her friend's lips to shushed her.

"I've heard enough, Miyabe. I remember them all, okay?" Miyabe's lips formed a smile beneath her fingers.

She gazed at her friend's happy face. Their friendship gone through a lot, she'll never forget that and she's willing to protect her best friend from all the possible people who might hurt her…even if it's Marui Bunta, who used to be her best friend and now became one of her most hated person.

_Are you really protecting her or you're just being selfish?_

A voice echoed inside her head. _Of course, I'm protecting her!_Another part inside her head answered_. No, you're not protecting her, you just want Marui only for yourself…_

No that's not it! She exclaimed in her mind.

The 'debate' inside her head was cut off when the bell rang and their sensei came inside their room.

* * *

It's already lunch time, together with Miyabe and Christine they went to the cafeteria to get their self some lunch. While on the line, Hikari cannot help but to notice Miyabe's happiness. Is it because of Marui? That sugar-freak? Or was she happy because she topped their biology exam? She desperately wanted to know why she was happy. Miyabe was holding her cell phone and reading a message and she's smiling like crazy! It's really because of the sugar freak!

"What's wrong with you today Hikari-senpai, you've been glaring at Miyabe-senpai for actually-" Christine pause for awhile to look at her wrist watch, "-for five minutes and thirty seconds," She said nonchalantly preserving her infamous poker face.

Hikari leap a little, no one can really passed from Christine, she's sharp as a needle, "Uh, no I'm not." She denied while pretending to busy herself looking at the menu posted on the wall. "You're a terrible liar senpai," she commented monotonously.

"NO I AM NOT!" she couldn't believe she just shouted for the whole student population in the cafeteria howl in laughter, making her really embarrassed. "This is your fault Cristine," Hikari muttered grudgingly underneath her breath.

"You're the one who shouted, not me," Christine said blandly. Hikari just gave her an angry squint that made Christine chuckle.

After buying their lunch, the trio looked for a vacant table when someone called them. "Girls, come here, join us!" They turned and saw that it was Cassie, waving at them together with Aya. They were occupying the table at the corner of the cafeteria. They strode towards them and took the vacant seats.

"Miyabe, you seem so happy right now…what's up?" Cassie asked as she sipped her iced tea.

Miyabe giggled. "Marui texted me and he asked me out," she replied with a huge grin plastered on her lips.

Hikari choked and coughed so hard when she heard Miyabe's words. Aya gave her a glass of water and she drank it. "He asked you out?" she asked her with wide eyes after recovering from choking.

Miyabe nodded vigorously, a smile not leaving her lips. "Yes."

"What did you reply?" Hikari asked her best friend again.

"I told him yes, that I'll go out with him," Miyabe answered, her eyes glistening with happiness and still smiling like a crazy fool.

She slammed the table and stood up, leaning forward Miyabe."Why did you say yes!" she shouted, receiving skeptical stare from her friends as well as from the students from the other tables. She gulped and seat back. "You don't know him that well, you should have not accepted his invitation…" she softly but sternly. "He has numerous fan girls and you might get hurt…I'm just concern with you, Miyabe." You're my best friend, I don't want you to get hurt."

Miyabe held her hand and look at her. "It's alright, Hikari. I'd been wanting to meet him personally ever since I laid my eyes on him during middle school but I don't have the confidence to approach him and introduce myself, especially that I know you are holding a grudge against him." Miyabe sighed deeply and looked at her. "I've got a crush on him but keeping my feelings…for you, because I know that you wouldn't like it." Miyabe forced a smile. "But now that he's the one now to approach me and asked me out on a date, will I let this opportunity pass?" Miyabe shook her. "No, I won't let it pass…"

Hikari opened her mouth to say something but close it again and decided not to do anymore. Miyabe continue, "Can you just support me? Even if I will get hurt, at least I had a chance to be with him."

Hikari felt a stabbing pain inside her heart as she looks at her friend. Why am I feeling this way? I can't understand this feeling…I should be happy for her. She filled her lungs with air before she spoke, "Okay, I won't interfere anymore." She tried to smile but she felt like it is more of a wince than a smile. "But if he hurt you, I will really give him a taste of my fist." Hikari raised her balled fist and showed it to her friends. "You heard that girls, that's a promise."

"We will help you crush him if ever he will hurt our friend," Aya said with a huge grin. "Marui-senpai will regret it if he'll do you harm, Miyabe-senpai."

Cassie and Christine nodded in agreement. "We'll support your plan, Hikari but as for now…" Cassie averted her gaze to Miyabe and grinned. "Since your wish to go out with him will be fulfilled you should treat us some dessert for a celebration, Miyabe. Or else I won't let you leave early in the afternoon practice of the tennis club."

Miyabe giggled."All right, you don't have to threaten me, captain! I'll treat you, girls. Just order what you want," Miyabe said that made the three girls cheered happily, Hikari just rolled her eyes.

"Cassie you're such a monster eater…I can't believe that you don't get fat," Hikari told her raven-haired friend.

"My metabolism is fast that's why I don't get fat at all, it's a God-given gift that He did not give you, Hikari." Cassie grinned at her mischievously.

Hikari just scowled at her friend slash captain. Yeah, that's true, He did not give her that gift…she easily gets fat if she eats more than enough, especially if she eats sweets. That's why she only eats her favorite ice cream and some cakes once a week and then do intense exercise a lot, she doesn't want to be fat again.

"Hikari, chill. I'm just joking, okay?" Cassie said with a chuckle and the turned to Miyabe, "Fulfill your promise now. Let's buy the dessert!" Cassie stood up and dragged Miyabe to the counter.

Hikari tried to continue eating her food but she lost the appetite to eat. She put down her spoon and fork and dabbed a napkin on her lips.

Aya spoke to her, "Hikari-senpai, you're done eating?" Hikari bobbed her head as an answer. Aya eyed her still full plate. "But you barely touched your food. Come on, don't deprive yourself from eating."

Christine butt in, "There are lots of people around the world suffering from hunger. You must be thankful that you have the chance to enjoy and eat the most delicious foods but you're wasting it."

She's in a terrible mood now and can't help but pierce her kouhai with a cold stare as she spoke, "If I will eat this, will they be happy? And if I eat this, will that make their stomach full?" Aya and Christine looked back at her with incredulous look. "The answer is 'no' so why would I continue eating this if I don't want to eat it anymore."

Her two kouhais just stare at her for quite some time and then shrugged their shoulder. Hikari just opened her i-pad and open her twitter account to post a status. Her fingers gave her i-pad angry touch as she composed her status. She wrote 'I'm pissed off! I wanted to rip the head of a certain sugar-freak that caused my bad mood today!'

Aya whispered to Christine, "Hikari-senpai's mood today is really bad."

Christine answered in a low a voice too, "Yeah I agree, she got worse, she's more feisty now than ever."

"Maybe she's still worried about Miyabe-senpai's date with Marui-senpai…"

"Or maybe she's…jealous." Christine chuckled.

Hikari heard that statement of Christine and glare at her. Jealous? "Oi, punk girl, I heard that. I'm not jealous," she hissed.

Christine's lips suppressed a smile. "But with your action, you look like a jealous girlfriend than a concern friend." Hikari's face flushed and grew her eyes wider. Aya laughed loudly when she saw her face, as red as a tomato.

"I'm not jealous!" Hikari screamed out that caught the attention again of the other students. Really, she's been embarrassing herself over and over again because of this punk-brat!

"Who's jealous?" Hikari turned her head and saw Miyabe and Cassie holding a tray of food. Cassie's lips arched up and Miyabe with a knotted forehead as she looks at th

"No one," Hikari answered. "Christine is just imagining things."The two kouhais seating opposite to her grinned wider.

* * *

"KYAH!" Miyabe shrieked after reading a message from her cell phone and stood up from the bleachers. "Oh my God, he's here. He's waiting for me outside the school!"

Hikari just rolled her eyes while shaking her head and drank her orange Gatorade. They just finished a practice match against the doubles tandem of the second year regulars, Ritsuko and Mai. They had an intense game against those two, they were really good but Hikari and Miyabe still defeated them.

As the senpai, they must train and mold the two players to be the best doubles player in the Region and if possible, in the whole country. They can see the potential of those kouhais and they were certain that soon enough, those kouhais of them will probably beat them if they will continue their hard work. They knew that they will surpass them being one of the best doubles players.

"I'm all sweaty now, I can't face him right now!" Miyabe whined and stomped her feet on the ground like a child that her parents did not buy her a toy.

"Then take a shower, duh!" Hikari rolled her eyes, she can't believe how her best friend acts right now just because of Marui Bunta!

"But Marui-kun might get bored if he'll wait for me outside…" Miyabe uttered with pouted lips.

"Then send him a message to come here inside the school," Cassie said as she strode towards them. "Tell him to wait for you here in the tennis courts."

Miyabe nodded with a smile on her lips. "Yeah, that's a good idea." She started composing a message to Marui and afterwards her cell phone beeped the message alert tone. Miyabe read the message. "He said that he'll come over here. Girls, I'm going to the shower room, tell him that I'll be back soon after I finished taking the shower."

"Okay," Hikari replied nonchalantly then Miyabe exited the tennis court.

Cassie sat beside her with a teasing smile on her lips. "Aren't you, even just a little bit jealous?"

Hikari heaved a sigh and face her captain. "For the nth time, I'm telling you I'm not jealous."

Cassie grinned at her feisty friend. "Okay, if you say so." The captain just shrugged and drank her Gatorade.

After a few minutes, Hikari saw a familiar red-head walking towards the tennis courts. She saw that the girls can't help but gape at him as he walks confidently while popping his bubble gum. He's really a head turner and girls can't help but swoon over him despite the fact that he's an outsider in their school.

"Marui-kun!" Cassie called him and waved at him when he saw them on the upper part of the bleachers and he strode to them.

"Where's Miyabe?" Marui asked them.

"At the shower room," she answered blandly at him.

"Don't worry she'll be back soon," Cassie said to the self-proclaimed tensai.

"MARUI!" someone shouted his name. It's none other than the number one fan of Marui, the sleeping beauty of Hyoutei, Akutagawa Jirou, now fast approaching his idol. Jirou stood in front of Marui with wide eyes. "Marui, it's really you! I can't believe that you visit Hyoutei! What are you doin here?"

Marui just grinned widely at Jirou. Cassie answered the question of Jirou instead, "Jirou-kun, Marui-kun is here because of your sister…they're going out on a date."

Jirous eyes grew wider. "You're dating my sister?"

Marui scratched the back of his head while nodding.

"I can't believe it! Miyabe did not tell me about your date." Jirou whined, he has a close relationship with his half sister and he can't believe that she hide a secret from him.

"Akutagawa-kun, I just asked her earlier this day, so maybe she just forgot to tell you about it," Marui defended Miyabe.

"Yeah, maybe you're right, Marui." Jirou smiled widely at his idol. "Marui, why don't we have a warm up match. Just for fun, until Miyabe come back!"

"A match?" Marui asked.

Jirou bobbled his head. "Just for fun. Please!" Jirou clasped his hand together while pleading at the self-proclaim tensai of Rikkai.

Marui shrugged. "Okay."

Jirou shook Marui's both hands energetically. "Thank you, Marui!" He dragged him to the empty tennis court below. The girls who were currently having practice matches gaped at the two famous serve and volley specialist.

"Oi Jirou, you two play there in the boys tennis courts. You both distract my players!" Cassie reprimanded.

"Cassie-chan, we'll just have a short match!" Jirou complained. "We will stop playing until Miyabe returns."

"Okay, fine! Do what you please!" Cassie rolled her eyes and went down to the tennis courts. "Girls, continue practicing and ignore these two. Move now or else I'll punish you all!"

"HAI!" The members replied their captain and continue the practice match. On the other hand, Hikari just watch the match between Jirou and Marui from the bleachers. The two red-head were both good players but she can see that Marui is still better than Jirou. His technique is really amazing.

"I can see the admiration in your eyes…" someone spoke beside her with a teasing tone in her voice. She harshly turned her head and saw the punk-brat Christine beside her. She did not feel her presence, is she some kind of a cat that she can move silently with ease?

"Since when are you there beside me?" she asked her kouhai, she's not a member of the tennis team, she's their constant audience.

Christine propped her elbow on her thigh and rest her chin on her palm as she looks at her intently. "Long enough to see you admire Marui-san…I can sense that you really like him."

Hikari gnashed her teeth in irritation. "You're really getting into my nerves."

"I'm just stating what I saw and still seeing in you, senpai. I know that deep inside you, you're really attracted to him, you're just making yourself to believe that you hate him but the truth is, you really like him…be honest okay?" Christine grinned. "Honesty is the best policy as the saying goes." The punk brat laughed evilly.

"Whatever," she muttered. _I don't like him! Agh!_ she shouted inside her head! Hikari saw Miyabe gracefully approaching the tennis courts and called Marui and Jirou. The two turned their head towards Miyabe.

"Oi, Miyabe, why did you not tell me about your date with Marui?" Jirou asked her sister.

"Gomen nasai Jirou-nii, I forgot to tell you and besides this date is unexpected." Miyabe giggled.

"Okay, you're forgiven," Jirou said and then turned to Marui. "Marui-san, please take care of my sister, okay?"

Marui smiled at Jirou and nodded. "Don't worry, I'll take care of her. I'll take her home safe and sound." He tapped Jirou's shoulder.

"Bye, minna-san!" Miyabe shouted at everyone and then looked up at the bleachers and saw her bestfriend Hikari with Christine. She waved at them. "Bye, Hikari, Christine!"

Christine waved back. "Bye, Miyabe-senpai, Marui-san!"

Hikari just nodded at the 'couple' and follow them with her gaze as they saunter out of the tennis court and until she lost sight of them.

"Jealous," Christine muttered and glance at her sideways. Hikari just glared at her kouhai.

* * *

Hikari was eating alone in the dining hall. Again. Her mother and her Aunt Aki were really busy, the two woman were both supervising the soon to open bakeshop branch in Kyoto. Marui on the other hand was not yet home, he's still with Miyabe.

She looked outside the floor to ceiling window and saw the unusual darkness of the night sky. There are no stars and moon and a huge lightning draw up in the sky, a sign that there will be a severe thunder storm. A roar of thunder echoed that made her shiver and shouted.

"Hikari-sama!" Their butler approached her with a worried face. "Are you all right?" She just nodded but the truth is, she's not okay, she's having goose bumps all over her body.

Another thunder roared and she covered her ears in fear. She stood up and run outside the dining hall..

Another loud thunder sounded. She shivered and kept herself from screaming.

"Hkari-sama, what's wrong?" a servant asked her.

"N-Nothi-ing," she stuttered and walked to her room.

* * *

A severe thunderstorm, with much hail, rain, and thunder, descended upon the once sunny Tokyo region earlier. Water falling on the roof began overflowing the roof gutters that had become clogged with pine needles a lull in the downpour placed it under the clogged drain and proceeded to climb down the roof. The sky ignited like a flashbulb and simultaneous lightning virtually knocking down the tall tree beside the Toudo mansion. Hikari was so scared coup underneath her blanket cowering in fear as her memories coming down at her in full force. Tears streaming down her flush cheeks. Muffling the sounds of her cry, she doesn't wish anybody to know she's crying especially Marui.

She has a phobia with thunder and Marui knew about it. If he will know that she haven't overcome her phobia he will definitely tease her and call her a cry baby. The truth she doesn't want them to know that beneath her feisty exterior is a lonely child she is inside.

"Hikari-chan?" Hikari froze. She knew that voice.

Hikari turned to look at Marui with accusatory glare, "Don't you even know how to knock? And why are you even here? This is my room! Pervert!" Hikari screamed while hugging the blanket over her chest.

"Sorry, but I knocked at your door a few times already. There was no answer so I decided to just enter your room," Marui explained. He examined his childhood friend and decided to ask the question. "I heard you crying so-" Marui tried to asked but was cut off rudely by Hikari.

"I am not crying so get out of my room!" Marui sighed instead of going out he went to Hikari's side and pull her head towards his chest an attempt to comfort the other girl. Hikari wanted to struggle but she just found herself being drawn to the warm feeling of Marui's body's giving her. She doesn't want this feeling of cowardliness and helplessness but with Marui on her side she knows she's safe.

Hikari just smiled half-heartedly at her before seating beside Marui. Massaging the bridge of her nose. Marui smiled at him, pulling herself down on the bed, sitting next to her. He cupped her face in his hands.

"Close your eyes," Marui said gently

Hikari raised her eyebrow in suspicion. Marui pouted at her. "Trust me…" he said gently at her. "You know I would've do anything harmful to you Hikari-chan." the red head added.

Hikari rolled her eyes, "If you do something weird I will kick your royal backside!" she fumed. Hikari looked deep into his eyes and she couldn't help but to blushed. Thankfully, the lights inside her bedroom is closed so Marui couldn't see her blushing if he did he wouldn't stop teasing her. Biting her lower lip nervously, Marui gave him his infamous smirk.

Hikari always felt nervous whenever Marui gave one of his penetrating gazes that caused her heart to beat hard. She Thank god that he couldn't hear how hard her heart beat or else she'll blush even more. Hikari could feel his soft lips kissing her nose and pulled her head into his chest and started stroking her hair gently, like a father putting his child to slumber.

Hikari could feel a sudden sense of contentment fleeting gracefully in his mind and soul. His hands feel cool against her warm skin as he draws her head slowly down onto his lap. Hikari surrendered by lowering down her guard into the arms of the man she insists she hate. Never in Hikari's wildest dreams that she would surrender into the warm feeling of contentment within the folds of a man's arms, but she did. His soft voice lulled him to sleep as she continuously hum and sing until she was deep in her dreams.

* * *

Thank for reading!

Special thanks to Yuzuru Renge for helping me in this chapter :)


	7. Their True Feelings

Author's note: I'm super sorry everyone for the big delay! Here's the latest chapter of Bittersweet Love story, please leave a review!

* * *

**Bittersweet Love Story**

"She's like a bitter sweet fruit that he can't pick yet until it has ripened…"

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

**Their True Feelings**

Today is a day-off for the Rikkaidai tennis regulars since the national championship already ended, all thanks to captain Yukimura. Marui sent a message to Miyabe to meet him this afternoon. He stayed outside the school's premises and leaned his back against the concrete wall as he pops his bubble gum (as usual) and waited for the arrival of his date or should he say, new partner in crime. They will talk about their 'mission'.

Yes, a mission. What's their mission? Make Hikari jealous. Miyabe told her yesterday that she feels that her best friend Hikari likes him and not despise him. That's what they were whispering to each other last night at the gazebo as they eat their snacks…

_Miyabe leaned forwards to Marui and whispered, "You know what, I can feel that Hikari likes you."_

_Marui knotted his forehead and murmur his answer softly, "How can that be? She treats and avoid me like a plaque."_

_"She's just pretending to everyone and even to herself. I know that deep inside her she really likes you…maybe ever since you two were younger. She just hated what you did to her…when you kissed her," Miyabe spoke softly._

_Marui's lips arched in a smile and then turned into a huge grin. "You think so?"_

_Miyabe nodded with a smile. "You want a proof?" Miyabe shot a quick glance at Hikari. Miyabe cocked her head, urging him to look back. He followed her and glanced at Hikari, she was singing with Cassie and Christine but her eyes focused on the two of them with fury eyes but when she saw him looking, she looked away. Marui averted his eyes from her and looked again at Miyabe. "See that? She's probably jealous because we're talking with each other as if we have our own world." Miyabe giggled and Hikari looked at them again with glaring eyes. Marui laughed too._

_"Do you love Hikari?" Miyabe asked him, still whispering._

_He stayed quiet for a while but smile eventually and answer, "Yes, I love her." Miyabe beamed at him._

_"Then let's do something to make Hikari realized her true feelings…let's make her jealous." Miyabe's eyes glinted with mischief._

_"Make her jealous?" he asked, his voice still soft so as Hikari won't hear them._

_"Yeah, we will do that…listen carefully…" Miyabe moved closer and started whispering their plan…_

That happened yesterday and this afternoon they'll continue talking about their mission. His cell phone beeped the message alert tone. The message was from Miyabe, telling him to go inside the school premises and wait for her in the tennis court.

Marui walked nonchalantly on the grounds of Hyoutei Gakuen. There were a lot of students murmuring at each other upon seeing him. There were even girls giggling at the sight him but mostly looked puzzle as to why a Rikkai regular player is inside their Academy.

He finally reached the girls tennis court and gain more attention. Everyone were looking at him.

"Marui-kun!" Cassie called him and waved at him. The captain of the girls team is together with Hikari on the upper part of bleacher. He saw her scoffed at the sight of him. With the kind of expression, he's really doubting if Miyabe's hypothesis is even true.

"Where's Miyabe?" he asked them.

"At the shower room," Hikari answered blandly at him.

"Don't worry she'll be back soon," Cassie told him.

"MARUI!" someone shouted his name. _Not again!_ It's none other than his number one fan, the sleeping beauty of Hyoutei, Akutagawa Jirou, now fast approaching his idol.

Jirou stood in front of Marui with wide eyes. "Marui, it's really you! I can't believe that you visit Hyoutei! What are you doin here?" he just grin, he will not tell him his real motive of course, it's a top secret.

Cassie answer for him"Jirou-kun, Marui-kun is here because of your sister…they're going out on a date."

Jirous eyes grew wider. "You're dating my sister?"

Marui scratched the back of his head and nodded hesitantly.

"I can't believe it! Miyabe did not tell me about your date." Jirou whined.

"Akutagawa, I just asked her earlier this day, so maybe she just forgot to tell you about it," Marui defended Miyabe.

"Yeah, maybe you're right, Marui." Jirou smiled widely at his idol. "Marui, why don't we have a warm up match. Just for fun, until Miyabe come back!"

"A match?" Marui asked.

Jirou bobbled his head. "Just for fun. Please!" Jirou clasped his hand together while pleading at the self-proclaim tensai of Rikkai.

Marui shrugged. "Okay."

Jirou shook Marui's both hands energetically. "Thank you, Marui!" He dragged him to the empty tennis court below. The girls who were currently having practice matches gaped at the two famous serve and volley specialist.

"Oi Jirou, you two play there in the boys tennis courts. You both distract my players!" Cassie reprimanded.

"Cassie-chan, we'll just have a short match!" Jirou complained. "We will stop playing until Miyabe returns."

"Okay, fine! Do what you please!" Cassie rolled her eyes and went down to the tennis courts. "Girls, continue practicing and ignore these two. Move now or else I'll punish you all!"

"HAI!" the girls obeyed and moved in a flash. She somehow reminds her of their vice-captain Sanada, she's also scary.

"Let's start!" Jirou then served the ball.

They only had two games, and it was a tie; one game for each of them because Miyabe already arrived. After a few moments the two of them left the tennis courts.

They stroll down the street of uptown Tokyo and found themselves comfortably sitting on bench at the park while eating a cake that they bought at a nearby pastry shop.

"So let's talk about our plan," Miyabe started after munching her strawberry cake. "You must pretend that you like me and that you are courting me."

"So that includes picking you up after class and go out with you."

She held his shoulder and shook him quite hard. "You must be sweet to me, Marui-kun. We must make her jealous, we must threaten her and make her realize her true feelings. Believe me, this will work! Promise!"

"You're quite enthusiastic about this huh." He twitched.

"Of course." Miyabe stood up in front him. "I love Hikari and I want her to admit her feelings so that she can be happy. She's just suppressing her true feeling because she kept inside her mind that she hates you but in fact she really loves you. She's my best friend and I want her happiness. You also love her, don't you, Marui-kun?"

He smile at her and nodded. " I love her…ever since we were little. I treasure her so much and I was so sad when she got mad at me after I did that to her and I want our old relationship back."

"What? You want your old relationship back?" Miyabe exclaimed, her hand move up to her hips as she stare down at him. "No, no, no. Your relationship must level up, from friendship to enemies and then lovers. Don't be contented with being just a friend, Marui-kun! Come on!"Miyabe rolled her eyes.

Marui scratched his head. "You think so? Don't you think that this mission is impossible?"

Miyabe's eyes widened and held his hand. "This is not mission impossible! You're going to be great couple! Let's do our best acting and you'll see, she'll surrender to her own feelings…I know her too well, Marui-kun. I know it will happen. I'll be your partner in this mission."

He stared at her for moment. Deep inside his heart he knows that he doesn't only want friendship from Hikari. He always loved her. He sighed deeply and smile at the girl in front her. He'll do it. "Okay, partner. We'll make her surrender."

Miyabe grinned widely." You can count on me."

After their 'date' Marui walked Miyabe home and at the main door Jirou was waiting for them.

"MARUI-KUN!" Jirou enthusiastically exclaimed his idol's name. "I'm glad that you take her home. Come on don't go home yet. Let's play xbox!." Jirou tugged Marui by the arm he looked at Miyabe signaling her to save him from his enthusiastic brother but the girl just grinned at him.

"Then join us in dinner later, I will tell our chef to cook the best food!" Jirou continue tugging him to door at the left side of the living room which he guessed as the entertainment room.

"As if I have choice now that you are pulling me," Marui muttered. Inside the room were a boy who's around fourteen years old and a girl around twelve years old who's currently playing tekken using xbox.

"Rika, Hiro. We have a visitor. It's Marui-kun!" Jirou called their attention. The two younger teens stopped and looked at them.

"Ah, onii-san he is the Marui Bunta? Your idol?" the girl named Rika asked with wide eyes and run towards them.

Marui popped his green bubble gum. "Yo." He greeted them.

"Sugoi! I'm glad that I finally met you! You're really cute, Marui-nii-san!" The girl shook his hand energetically while her eyes were twinkling in delight. "I'm also your fan but I'm your number two fan."

"Onii-san is your number one fan," the boy remarked.

"I know." Marui chuckled.

"Just so you know, Marui-san is courting Miyabe," Jirou blurted out.

The younger teens widened their eyes. "Really!" they exclaimed in unison.

"Sugoi you will have a really cool boyfriend…that's really amazing," the girl said with awe.

"But condolense to you Marui-san for dating my onee-chan." the boy remarked mockingly.

Miyabe scowled at her brother and Marui sweat dropped. If they only know the real deal…

* * *

Right after dinner, they continue playing the xbox. Marui was enjoying playing with the Akutagawa siblings. They were fun to be with. All of them are enthusiastic and energetic. They were loud and they also tease and fight each other every now and then but it seems fun. He always wished to have sibling but he never had and that was why he was so fond of Hikari back then. He wanted to have a sibling to take care and play with. He sees her as a sister before but now its totally different, he love her not the way a brother should love a sister but the way a boy loves a girl.

"It's my turn Hiro," Miyabe told the younger teen.

Hiro stuck out his tongue at her. "No way, you're not even good at this game. Just sit there and relax."

"I'm not good? I'm way better than you!"

"In your dreams!" Miyabe stood up and hit Hiro's head using the pillow continuously. "Ouch! Stop it nee-chan!"

"Then let's have a match. I will crush you, Hiro."

Hiro smirked mischievously "Sure you will eat dirt." The sibling started their fight.

He laughed out loud and turn to Jirou who was sitting beside him on the couch. "Are you always like this?"

Jirou grinned widely. "Yeah, this is the way we are."

"It seems fun to have siblings."

"It's fun, super fun! You don't have siblings, right?"

"Nope."

Rika appeared in front of them. "You can be our brother. Since you're going to be nee-chan's boyfriend you are now a part of the family."

Jirou nodded in agreement. "That's right you can come over here and be our brother Marui-kun, that will be fun."

Marui sweat-dropped with a force smile on his lips. "Sure, I guess…ha-ha."

Jirou gave him a big bear hug that he almost run out of oxygen. "I'm soooooooo happy!" Marui cringed.

"I won!" Miyabe cried out loud. She made an L sign in her hand on top of her forehead. "Ha-ha-ha, loser."

Hiro scowled. "Rematch, I want rematch."

A loud thunder roared. "Did you hear that? It's a sign that we shouldn't have a rematch because you will lose again."

_Thunder…Hikari…_ Marui suddenly remembered that Hikari has a phobia in thunder. He doesn't know if she has overcome it now…he must get back.

Marui hastily stood up sending Jirou flat on the floor. "I need to go, Miyabe, everyone. I forgot something."

"It's fine. I really think you should go now…it seems that a heavy rain will soon come," Miyabe told him.

"Thank you for the dinner. Bye." He picked up his things and hurriedly walked out of the room. He needed to be with her.

Marui run his to the train station. He remembered the first time that he discovered about her phobia…

_It was a bright and sunny day. The young Bunta thought that the weather forecast was wrong about a storm that will approach that day. Marui urged the young Hikari to play at the park._

"_I don't want, there's a storm…" Hikari pouted her lips._

"_Storm?" His violet eyes grew wide. "Look it's a very fine weather, those forecast are not true. Come on Hikari, it's a Sunday. Tomorrow there will be school again and we won't have much time to play." Marui held her hand and tug her off from the sofa and out of their house._

_They reached the park and saw their playmates. They enjoyed a lot while playing with other kids in their neighborhood. After a few hours their playmates went home but the two of them stayed and eat their favorite ice cream heartily._

_A loud thunder sounded. Hikari's ice cream fell on the ground and her eyes grew wider._

_Marui whistled. "Looks like the weather forecast is true…there's really a storm. You were startled, right Hikari" He chuckled and turn to Hikari who looked so stiff. "Oi, Hikari."_

"_L-let's hurry and g-get h-home…" Hikari almost whispered. She stood up and started walking. Marui crease his eyebrow and just follow her tread._

_After a while it was already drizzling and soon enough it became a heavy rain even before they reach their house._

"_Come on let's stay there in the waiting shed until the rain stops." Marui dragged her towards the spot. "I wish this will stop soon." They were sittng close beside each other. He looked at Hikari who looked so pale and stiff. His eyes caught a glimpse of her legs…they were trembling. "Hey Hikari, are you cold?" Both of them are drench because of the rain, maybe she's freezing cold. A louder thunder noised again. Hikari covered her ears with her eyes close. She's breathing harder and she's really shivering._

"_Hikari…" He finally realized why she doesn't go out when its raining, he's so stupid not to realize it sooner. She looked up at him with tears covering her already puffy face. He gathered her in his arms and embrace her tight. "Don't be scared…I'm here." Hikari softly sobbed. She still trembles whenever a thunder sounds but she's breathing evenly now._

_After almost an hour their parents came looking for them. Hikari's father told him that she has phobia in thunder ever since she met him. She had her phobia since the day that her family had a vacation when she was only four years old... she got lost in the woods during a storm and was stranded there all night. Ever since, she never gets out when there's a thunderstorm._

_From that day, he promised that he will always be with her with or without thunderstorm. He will stay by her side for always but it didn't happen because she came to hate him…_

* * *

"Bunta-sama, you're all wet!" the butler exclaimed when he opened the door for him.

Marui feel so cold with his drenched clothes hugging his body. "I was caught in the rain when I got off from the train station, I'll just go and take a warm bath," he said.

"Please do, Bunta-sama or else you'll get sick."

"I won't get sick, Yoshimori-san. By the way, where's Hikari?"

"Hikari-sama is already in her room, she looks pale. I thought she was sick but when I knock on her door and ask her she said that she's fine and to leave her alone…"

He knew why but he will not tell him. He knew that Hikari will not like it if someone knew about this weakness of her. Everybody thought of her as a strong woman. He bet that Miyabe doesn't know about it either.

"Don't worry, I'll check her out after taking bath." He smiled at the butler and take his way towards the guest room that he was occupying.

Marui stood still in front of Hikari's door, he can hear soft sobs coming. She's still the same. She's already scared but she will never admit it and just lock herself inside her room. He knocked but she didn't answer. He knock again, again and again but she never answer. Maybe she's covering her ears that's why she was unable to hear him. He turned the knob and it was open. The room was dark, the lights are off and the window were covered with dark curtains. He saw her coup underneath her blanket. He called her name, "Hikari-chan…"

She removed the blanket that covers her and glare at him. "Don't you even know how to knock? And why are you even here? This is my room! Pervert!" Hikari screamed while hugging the blanket over her chest.

"Sorry, but I knocked at your door a few times already. There was no answer so I decided to just enter your room," Marui explained. He examined his childhood friend and decided to ask the question. "I heard you crying so-" Marui tried to asked but was cut off rudely by Hikari.

"I am not crying so get out of my room!" Marui sighed instead of going out he went to Hikari's side and pull her head towards his chest an attempt to comfort the other girl. Hikari struggle at first but she suddenly gave in. He smiled, he always wants to be this close to her but she never let him. He smiled at her, and sit next to her. He looked at her intently and cupped her face in his hands.

"Close your eyes," Marui said gently

Hikari raised her eyebrow in suspicion. Marui pouted at her. "Trust me…" he said gently at her. "You know I wouldn't do anything harmful to you Hikari-chan." he added.

Hikari rolled her eyes, "If you do something weird I will kick your royal backside!" she fumed.

He was nervous but he still manage to give her his infamous smirk. His heart is hammering so hard against his chest. The girl that he love is in front of him looking at him intently. He gathered all his courage and kissed her nose softly. He wanted to do more than that but he will never do it again without her consent, he doesn't want her to hate him even more. He pulled her head into his chest and started stroking her hair gently. Maybe she can hear the erratic beating of his heart but he did not mind. He hum a song and soon enough she was peacefully sleeping in his arms.

The thunderstorm already stopped and he carefully lay her head on the pillow. He smiled to himself and kissed her forehead. "Goodnight, Hikari…" He was about to stand but something or rather someone pulled him. It was Hikari's hand tugging his shirt tightly. He observed her, her eyes were still close, she's still sleeping. He tried to pull it off but she won't let go. "Don't go…" she said softly. She is talking in her sleep.

He shook his head, his smile never leaving his lips. The bed is quite big, maybe he can spend the night there next to her, he'll just keep distant.

He lay down not too close to her. He also feels tired his body seems heavy now…he also needed to rest. Hikari moved closer to him a hugged him like pillow. He stiffened, she's hugging him unconsciously in her sleep. Hikari cuddle him tightly and her head rest on his chest. This is the best night in his life but he feels like he will have a hard time sleeping knowing that the girl he loves is sleeping beside him. He just sighed deeply.

* * *

Hikari knows that the sun is already shining but she feels so lazy to get up and besides there's no class today, its Saturday. She cuddle her pillow even more. Her pillow smells so nice…and masculine? And why is it not soft…it seems hard and kinda big but nonetheless it still so nice to hug and to smell. Her eyes fluttered and was greeted by Marui Bunta's face, only a few inches away from her face. Her eyes widened and she hastily sat up. She looked down at him, he was peacefully sleeping beside her, on her bed… how dare him! She remembered what happened last night, he was with her and help her sleep…so he did not leave her…but he should have! He's a big pervert to sleep beside a girl.

"You're the biggest pervert, Marui Bunta…" she hissed. She raised her hand and was about to slap him to wake him up but she stopped midway. She stared at his sleeping state, he seems so peaceful and…extremely cute!

She shook her head continuously. "No, no, no. I shouldn't find him cute…no way!" she looked back at him. _Why because it's an understatement…because he look handsome? _A tiny little voice in her head told her. "No!" she almost shouted. She turned to him again and find herself moving closer. His bangs slightly covered his face, she stroked it away and stare at his face even more. Long lashes, cute pointed nose and a pair of lips that every girls would want to kiss. And she already did seven years ago…

She was startled when his eyes suddenly open, he saw her studying his face, it's so embarrassing. She suddenly slap him hard on the face.

"Ouch!" he complained and touched his reddened left cheek. "What was that for?" He sat up and glare at her.

"That's for being a pervert! How dare you sleep beside me!" she fumed. She knew that her face is so red with so much anger and embarrassment.

"That's because you don't want me to leave your side. You told me 'don't go' while you were half asleep so I decided to sleep here."

"I didn't say that!"

"Yes, you did!"

"Don't make stories Marui Bunta, I will never say that."

"But you did." He suddenly sneezed and covered his nose using her blanket.

"EEEWWWWWWW. HOW DARE YOU USE MY BLANKET TO COVER YOUR NOSE!" she shouted angrily.

"Why, do you prefer me to sneeze straight to your face?" he mocked and then he coughed, he cover his mouth using the blanket again.

"You're super gross and super pervert!" she strangle him, she used both her hands to choke him but she felt that his temperature in not normal. She touched his forehead to confirm her speculation. "You have fever!"

"I was caught by the rain yesterday…maybe that's why…"

"You're super gross, super pervert and a super idiot. Oh my gosh, Marui Bunta!" she rolled her eyes.

"You're going to take care of me anyways, right Hikari?" he said while smiling.

"You wish!" she stood up. "Come on now, you should go back to your room, I'll call the maid to take care of you."

"I don't want. I will not leave your bed if you are not going to take care of me…" he childishly said.

"No way, why would I take care of you?" her hand rose to her hip as she stare down at him.

"You're the reason why I got sick."

"Me? Why? Care to explain?"

Marui just narrowed his eyes at her. "No more explanations! You are the reason why I got sick, that's it!"

"I don't get you. Why are you putting the blame on me?" she shook her head. "Get out of my room now before someone saw you, I don't want them to think that something is going on between us," she told him while glaring at him.

"Promise me that you're going to take care of me first, or else I won't leave your room," he threatened her with a mischievous smile on his lips.

"How dare you threaten me!"

"Promise me first!" he insisted. She looked at the wall clock it's almost 8 o'clock. A maid will probably enter her room at o'clock for breakfast. It's not good if they see Marui on her bed, they will probably start gossiping about them!

"Fine! I'll take care of you, go back to your room now, please!" She opened the door wide for him.

He smiled triumphantly and stood up. He looked at her, she can see that he's really sick his eyes are deep and his nose is kinda but he still has the guts to irritate her.

"I'll wait for you in my room." He winked at her before closing the door behind him.

* * *

Just as promised, Hikari take care of the sick Marui Bunta. She's currently feeding him a rice porridge for breakfast.

She glared at him. "You're not disable why do I have to feed you?"

"I don't have the energy to eat…I want more…ahhh…" he opened his mouth for another spoon.

Hikari hissed and gave him a death glare but she still feed him continuously without even giving him a chance to chew and breathe. In just ten continuous spoonful of rice porridge she's done feeding him.

"Are you trying to kill me? You didn't even let me breath!" Marui complained at her.

"I just want you to finish your breakfast so that you can drink your medicine right on time," she flashed him a fake smile.

"You won't pass as a nurse."

"I never dreamed of that anyways." She gave him a glass of water and the medicines that he needed. "I need to do something, if you need something just call the maid, okay? Don't disturb me." She stood up but Marui pulled her wrist.

"Don't go…take care of me, please?" he pleaded with puppy eyes.

She pulled her hand away from his grip. "Why don't you just call Miyabe and her to take care of you since you two are dating."

His eyes twinkled with what she said. _You like Miyabe that much huh? _Something seems to stab her heart that it aches so much…

"Don't worry, I'll call her now." She made her face expressionless.

"Really?" he smiled. _He seems so delighted with the idea and why the heck am I hurting?_

"Yeah, I'll call her up just wait." Just that and she left his room.

* * *

"AAARRGGHH!" Hikari screamed her lungs out as she punch the punching bag with Marui's picture attach to it. Boxing had been her weekly exercise for the past two months already. She's losing weight even more with the help of that sport and now it has a new purpose… a stress reliever, pretending that she was punching Marui's face.

"I hate you even more!" she gave him an upper cut. Just a few minutes ago, Miyabe came to their house after she informed her about Marui's fever. She seems so worried and when she finally saw Marui she throw herself at him and hugged him tightly.

She doesn't know why but she's angry, she's so angry! To Marui? Or to herself for feeling that way…she's so angry and she doesn't even know why.

She's panting heavily and she's all sweaty. She slumped on the floor as she wipe her sweat with her towel. Then, she stood up and took a quick shower. After she's all fresh up, she decided to take a peek on his room and wonder what those two were doing. The door was slightly open…she push it a bit more and take a peek inside. Miyabe's back is facing her line of vision and Marui is sitting as they talk softly at each other. She can't hear what they were talking about.

Afterwards Miyabe started helping him taking his clothes off! She gasped loudly but she covered her mouth…looks like they didn't see her. Marui was now half naked while Miyabe is giving him cold compress.

Marui held her hand. "Thank you for taking care of me…" he raised it and kissed her knuckles.

"It's nothing…I am glad to help you." Marui's face come closer to Miyabe, inch by inch…

Hikari closed her eyes and run towards her room. She breathing heavily as she clutches her chest. It hurts…a lot. Is she jealous? Why would she be jealous? Is it because she loves him?

Realization hit her…she's not angry, she's just jealous seeing how sweet they are because deep inside her heart she wished that she was the one beside him but her pride will never allow her. And now she's too late…just too late. Deep inside her heart she regretted for making herself believe that she hates him. Tears started to fall from her face, it hurts and it hurts more because the one she loves is in love with her best friend...she's so stupid for not realizing her feelings for him, she's stupid for being so in denial...

* * *

"Is she gone now?" Miyabe asked Marui when he stopped moving closer to her, pretending that he's going to kiss her. She knows that it's just an act but she knows that she's blushing.

"Yeah…she ran away." Marui moved away. "You're really good in planning schemes, you're a female trickster." He chuckled.

Miyabe flashed him a wide smile. "I knew that she's peeking on us, maybe her jealousy is eating her up. She'll eventually give in, I assure you that." Miyabe touched his forehead "Seems like you're getting better, your temperature went down." Miyabe blushed when she realized that he's still half naked. "Put on your clothes now." She handed him his shirt.

He grinned at her. "Thank you, Miyabe."

Miyabe blushed like a tomato. "I-its nothing, I'll do anything for Hikari." Miyabe stood up. "I won't stay long, Rika has a ballet recital later, her mom can't make it so I'll accompany her."

"Her mom?" he asked curiously.

"Ah…I haven't told you about our situation yet right? The four of us has the same father but we have different mother. You know our father is quite a womanizer that's why Jirou-nii and I are almost the same age, he's just 4 months older than me…but I still call him nii-san…"Miyabe told him.

"At least your father is responsible unlike mine…" he said almost like a whisper with fury in his eyes but its eventually gone. "I don't want to talk about sad things now," he said with a smile on his lips. "Thank you for taking care of me, Miyabe."

"No problem…I'll go back tomorrow, take care." Miyabe said and waved goodbye at him.

When she closed his door, she leaned her back against it while holding her chest. Her heart is beating fast. "I'm so screwed, I shouldn't be carried away with our mission…I shouldn't."

* * *

Review?


	8. Love or Friendship

**Author's Note: **I deeply apologize for the super late update! I hope I didn't lose my readers...Hope you guys love this chapter and please leave a review! Arigatou!

**Disclaimer**: I certainly do not own Prince of Tennis

* * *

**Bittersweet Love Story**

"She's like a bitter sweet fruit that he can't pick yet until it has ripened…"

* * *

**Chapter Eight**

**Love or Friendship**

It's a beautiful Monday morning. The air just got colder and breezy since the autumn already started, the leaves are starting to get dry and fall off from the trees' branches.

The classes haven't started yet so Hikari spends time in the tennis courts and with her friends sharing weekend stories. She got nothing to share since she just stayed in the house because her bestfriend, who usually go out with her on weekends, spent time with a certain sugar-freak leaving her alone.

"So, Miyabe-senpai, how's your weekend date with Marui-senpai?" Aya asked the red haired girl.

"It's great, we went to Disneyland!" Miyabe answered gleefully and started telling them what happened with their date. What they did in the famed theme park and how thoughtful and sweet Marui is towards her.

Hikari doesn't want to hear her stories anymore because it only pains her heart as if a knife stabs it continuously nearly torturing it. She just realized that she doesn't really hate the sugar freak and in fact she's in love with him. Maybe she's been in love with him ever since they were younger but she just suppressed her own feelings because she keeps on telling herself that she hates the red-haired sugar freak.

"Jealous," Christine whispered to her ears. She turned to the punk girl and pierce her with a death glare that made to younger teen shiver.

* * *

Two weeks quickly past since the day that Marui and Miyabe started dating. Seeing them together just make her heartache so much because of too much jealously. She seldom spends time with Miyabe and Marui doesn't try to talk to her any more. They live under one roof but she rarely see him and she just miss him so much.

It's already almost midnight, the full moon rise up high in the cloudless atramentous heaven with the stars twinkling brightly. Hikari sits alone in the gazebo looking up at the dark heaven, cool breeze blows and touch her soft skin making her shiver and embrace herself.

She can't sleep so she decided to go out and just watch the beautiful night sky, waiting for a meteor that may grant her wish. What will she wish anyways? To make Miyabe fall out of love with Marui? Or make Marui fall in love with her? She inhaled deeply, that's so selfish of her to think of those things.

A bark sounded and she saw Marui's dog staring at her with his tongue out. The dog walk towards her, she gulped hard, she's still afraid of dogs especially a huge dog like that. She stiffened when the dog finally reach her and sits just a few inches away from her.

To her surprise, the dog brush his head on her legs sweetly like he's comforting her. Her fur are thick but soft against her skin, she felt that something warm touch her heart as doggy Hikari cuddles her. She can't help but touch her fur with her hands with a smile on her lips.

She feels good being with the dog as if she found a new friend that wanted to console her. She stoop down. "Hello there, Hikari?" she greeted the dog and she answered with a loud bark then she started licking her face. "It tickles!"she shrieked but she just continue licking her. She laughed out loud and lay down on the grass, doggy Hikari strangles her and keeps on licking her face enthusiastically.

"Hikari!" It was Marui's voice, she saw him standing just a few feet away from them. She didn't know who he had call, she or the dog? But doggy Hikari stopped playing with her and run towards his master.

"Hikari, you are still awake?" he asked her.

She sat up and shrugged. "Obviously, I am."

Marui shook his head and chuckle. "You are still as stubborn as ever."

"This is me, I will not change myself," she answered.

Marui stride towards her and then sit near her with doggy Hikari in between them. They just silently sit there on the bermuda grass and look up at the atramentous heaven...

She broke their silence after a while, "Marui, please take care of Miyabe..." she said but her eyes are still fixed up in the sky, continuously gazing at the full moon. "She's my bestfriend and I want her to be happy."

Marui turned his head towards her and stare at her tenderly. _If she only knew my true feelings, if she only knew that everything is just an act_...he thought.

"Please, Marui, promise me that you will not hurt her."

"I promise."

Hikari turned and face him, "If you won't keep that promise, I will assure you that I will make you suffer, Marui Bunta."

Marui chuckled. "I wouldn't dare."

Cool wind gushed making both of them shiver and cuddle doggy Hikari. "It's cold!" they both complained in unison. They laughed together heartily. "I think we should go back inside," Marui said.

"Yeah, I think we should," she agreed.

Marui stood up first and offered his hand to her. She looked at his hand a bit hesitant if she will take it but she still did. When their skin touch, she felt as if electricity run through her veins making her heart beat faster.

As he pulls her up, she felt as if her legs were wobbly and lose her balance. She was about to fall back and hit the ground but Marui secure her head with his arm and fall with her. Now he was on top of her. A loud gasp came out from her mouth.

"Careful," he said sultry with a glint in his beautiful magenta eyes. Her chocolate brown orbs look back at him, straight to his eyes and she saw tenderness behind them.

Their position was so intimate making her heart beat crazily against her chest, she's almost breathless. Their bodies were closely pressed against each other and their faces were just a few inches away from each other.

As fast as a blink of the eyes, his soft lips crushed hers. She was startled and her eyes widened but she didn't pull back, instead she just close her eyes and kissed him back urging him to deepen the kiss. He pressed his body closer to her, his hand on her waist while her arms encircled his nape pulling it lower as her hand touch his soft locks. His playful lips against hers felt heavenly especially when his tongue started to move and traced her lips pleading for entrance...she obeyed, she parted her lips and welcome him. Their tongue wrestled against each other not wanting to be dominated. o_O

Her heart felt warmth, being this close with him and kissing him just felt so right. _Miyabe_, she suddenly remembered her bestfriend, then she pulled away. What kind of friend is she?

Her eyes were wide as she looks back at Marui, did she just kiss him. It's so wrong! Marui was looking at her tenderly. She pushed him away and stood up. "Hikari..." he called her and get on his feet. He reached out and was about to touch her but she slap his hand away.

"Why did you kiss me?!" she almost screamed.

"But you kissed me back." She blushed brighter.

"I-I...this is wrong, you are dating Miyabe and I am her bestfriend!"

Marui held her shoulders and look at her sternly. "Hikari, listen Miyabe and I are-"

"Stop! You just said that you wouldn't hurt her but you just did! I hate you!" She slap his cheek and tears stream down her cheeks. "I hate myself, I'm the worst..." she choked.

"Hikari, listen to me!"

"No, I don't want to listen to you!" She run away from him and lock herself inside her room.

A knock sounded and she heard Marui's voice. "Hikari, let's talk, please."

"Leave me alone!" Hikari just lay down on her bed and cover herself with her blanket tears continuously falling from her eyes.

* * *

"Good morning Hikari," Cassie greeted Hikari when she saw her auburn haired friend silently sitting on the bleacher all alone that cold morning. Cassie sat beside her. "It's very unusual for you to go to school this early." There's still an hour before the class starts.

"Why, am I not allowed?" Hikari responded with a raised eyebrow.

Cassie chuckled. "Of course you are, girl. Still feisty aren't we? Now, answer me, why are you early today?"

She shrugged. "I just want to," she answered nonchalantly. But the truth is that she just doesn't want to see Marui because of what happened last night. "How about you? You don't really go to school this early."

"Well, I just woke up early today that's all," the raven haired girl answered with a smile and stare at her for a while, then suddenly she laughed. "You got big eye bags, did you even sleep? You look like a panda, girl!" Cassie was expecting a scowl from her feisty friend but it didn't come.

Instead, she just kept silent and stare at her blankly and the next thing that happen, the feisty girl before her is shedding tears "Hey, I was just teasing you!"

Hikari didn't stop and just continue crying, "I'm the worst friend..."she said in between her sobs.

"What do you mean?" she asked with a knotted forehead as she rub her back, Cassie was just so puzzled.

Hikari inhaled deeply and wipe her tears away but her tears wouldn't stop falling. "I-I...I'm in love with Marui."

"Oh."

Her head jerk up and she turned to Cassie."Oh? That's all you can say?" she eyed her incredulously.

Cassie just stare at her blankly. "What do you want me to say?"

"Aren't you even going to tell me anything, reprimand me if you want. I didn't expect to receive an 'Oh' as a reaction from you. I'm in love with my bestfriend's boyfriend and we even kissed last night! I'm a mean friend, a traitor, do you understand that, Cassie?!" she shouted at her friend.

"So you want me to say mean things to you like 'you are a bitch' or 'you are a back stabber'?"

"Cassie!" she just can't believe this friend of hers.

"What? Hikari, I've always know that you don't really hate him and that in fact you are in love with him," Cassie said matter-of-factly. _And this is all Miyabe's plan so you didn't really do anything mean to her,_she wanted to add but she didn't, she will let Miyabe tell her the truth.

"Y-you do?" she was taken aback.

"I do and don't ask me why anymore, I'm a tensai, Hikari," Cassie boasted.

"Tensai your face! You just know because we were in the same situation, you also keep on making yourself believe that you hate Atobe but you really don't because you are in love with him!" Hikari pointed out and wipe her tears away.

"Correction, we are not in the same situation. Unlike you who made yourself believe that you hate Marui but deep inside your heart you love him all along, but me, I made myself believe that I hate Atobe because I was just jealous of him because he's the top student. But now we are okay, we are now friends. You see, we have different situation, we are not in the same boat, Hikari," Cassie explained making her roll her eyes.

"In denial," Hikari insisted.

"Hey I am not the issue here, you were the one who was in denial."

She exhaled deeply. "Yeah I was and I regret it, but I will keep denying, for Miyabe.I don't want to hurt her."

"Actually you really don't have to," Cassie said. _Since everything is just an act._

"What?" her eyes were wide as she glare at Cassie." Do you want me to tell Miyabe that I'm in love with Marui? Come on, I can't hurt her!"

"Oh well, Hikari you know...how should I say this...Miyabe is...actually..."

"What are you trying to say?" she scowled at her. "Wait, Miyabe is coming! Let's talk later."

"Ohayou!" Miyabe greeted with a huge smile. Hikari look away, she can't look at her bestfriend without feeling guilty.

"Hey, Miyabe, ohayou gozaimasu!" Cassie greeted energetically.

"Ohayou Cassie! And hey Hikari, why so gloomy today?"

She heaved a sigh and face her. "O-ohayou, Miyabe."

"What's with the bulgy eyes and eye bags? You watched dvds again, didn't you!"

She force a smile and nodded. "Yes, I did." She can never hurt a friend like her.

* * *

"La..la la..." Hikari continue twirling and humming on her own little world she was very distraught she can't get Marui and Miyabe out of her mind. It comes to the point that she just really wanted to pull out her hair out off its wits. They kissed! Not just a simple smack on the lips but a very sensual and deep kiss. Sugar freak and her! Behind Miyabe's back her bestfriend of all people! She was a horrible friend and she hate herself for kissing the man her bestfriend was dating.

Yes she loves him. And that kiss was spur in the moment! "Yes, that's it that kiss was just a spur in a moment I could justify my action with that reason yeah!" Hikari said pumping her fist in the air but then she slump back to sulking again this is just sooo lame!

" WATCH OUT" Hikari turn up only to be smack by a flying soccer ball straight to her face. The display made her schoolmates howl laugh at Hikari who was knocked flat on the ground.

"Did you see that?" A girl chided.

"Tudou-san was knocked down!"

"She's a tennis player it should have been easy for her to dodge it, so lame!" another girl remarked mockingly.

"That's what she get from being absent minded hahahaha" the others continue to make fun of her.

Hikari moved and sit down."I'm so epically lame..." Hikari muttered looking down on her hands, her face flushed in embarrassment tears gathering on the side of her eyes. She would normally be angry and defend herself but this time she don't know why whenever she want to say anything her throat so dry she can't even say a word. All because of last night! Now she was not just a guilty driven girl sulking she also looks so lame...

"Oh it was you Tudou..." Hikari look up and saw a girl standing before her wearing the soccer's team uniform. She knows this girl, Tsubasa Yumiko, the captain of soccer team and she was her classmate until her third year in middle school. She doesn't like this girl because she's a bitch with a capital B with an ITCH! She's her number one bully back in middle school who always makes fun of her and calls her fat girl.

Only one person defended her from this bitch, Miyabe. Because of Miyabe she learned to be strong and never let anyone to look down on her not only to defend herself but also for her bestfriend who's always there by her side. But what did she do? She betrayed her!

Tsubasa picked the ball that had hit her and raised it between her forearm and hips, her eyes looking down on her with with a wicked smile. "Here I thought that you already change but you are still that lame cry baby fat girl."

"Hey you!" She suddenly heard Miyabe's high pitched voice. She saw her striding forward then she stood between her and Tsubasa. "You are the one who never changed, you are the same bitchy bully!"

An evil grin formed in Tsubasa's lips. "Yeah I'm still the same bitchy bully that will never like a lame fat girl and a bastard girl like you, the rich man's daughter with a prostitute..." Miyabe's face paled.

Upon hearing Tsubasa's harsh word towards her bestfriend, Hikari stood up and shoved the girl forcefully against a tree. Her brown orbs were sharp and fuming as she glare deadly at Tsubasa. "Don't ever say another word against Miyabe or you'll definitely regret it," she hissed angrily.

"I am just stating the truth!" Tsubasa glare back at her.

"Learn to hold your tongue, bitch!"

"Whatever!"

"Hey, let go of our captain!" The members of the soccer club are surrounding them.

"You two are from the tennis club, Tudou and Akutagawa, why are you bullying our captain!"

Hikari scowled at the soccer club members. "She's the one who started it, she kicked a ball straight to my face and she's saying hurtful words againts me and my bestfriend!"

"But it's not reasonable enough to to push her!" A tall girl said.

Hikari glared at them. "Why is it reasonable to kick a ball on someone's face and instead of apologizing she even say bad thing against us!"

"Come on, Hikari let go of her." Miyabe pulled her away from Tsubasa who was still glaring at her as she dust off her uniform. "You don't want to have detention, right?"

She will not let anyone say anything bad against Miyabe, she will not let anyone hurt her bestfriend...and deep inside her heart she was so guilty of what she did behind her back.

"You are both lame," Tsubasa said and turned to her teammates. "Come on girls, back to practice."

Hikari was about to charge in but Miyabe pulled her. "Why you are really a bitch!" Tsubasa just gave her a bitchy crook smile.

"Enough already Hikari!" Miyabe dragged her away before they even have more trouble.

"I can't let that bitch say anything against you!"

"She's right that she's just stating facts...I really am a pr-" Miyabe sighed deeply, "Idon't want to talk about that anymore…" she eventually smile, " But what she said to you was a lie, you are not a lame cry baby fat girl anymore! Just look at you, you are slim and strong!"

A wide smile formed in her lips. "Yeah and that's all because of you, Miyabe." She embraced her tightly. She will never hurt her and she will forget her love for Marui...

xoxoxo

"What's with you Hikari don't torture your cake! If you don't like it, then give it me!" Cassie said upon seeing her friend stabbing her cake. They were in a famous bakeshop that Hikari's family own.

"I hate that Tsubasa!" she shrieked.

"Tsubasa? Who is this Tsubasa guy? Do you like him?" Cassie teased while stirring the left over on her parfait.

"Urgh Cassie! Tsubasa is a girl! Tsubasa Yumiko! And she's a bitch!I hate her before and I hate her now and forever!" Hikari said stabbing her poor sponge cake.

Cassie is confused, "Huh? The captain of the soccer club? What did she do?"

"She kicked a ball straight to my face and knocked me down! Instead of saying 'sorry' she said harsh words towards me and Miyabe! I can't let that pass. It's been a while since the last time that I encountered her that's why I am thankful that our campus is really big. Clashing against her again brings back bad memories."

"Bad memories?" Christine asked.

Miyabe speaks. "Well, you know that during middle school Hikari is a bit chubby and Tsubasa always bully her...

"And Miyabe-senpai was the one who protects her?" Aya inquired.

"Yes that's why I was really angry when she said something foul agaist Miyabe. I can never forgive her!"

"Oh...It's Hikari-chan..."

Hikari blushed, she know that voice it was...

"Bunta!" Miyabe called out to her 'boyfriend' cheerfully upon seeing him approaching.

"You okay?" Marui asked softly his hand holding her shoulders firmly making her feel weak in the knees.

Hikari shoved him away from her looking away, "Y-Yeah I'm fine so quit touching me!" she mumbled.

"Huh?" Marui said.

"Hey minna-san..." Hikari turned to look up it was Mayu. She was here together with sugar freak? Come to think of it they're here and still wearing their Rikkai uniform.

"Hey it's Mayu...what are you doing here with Bunta!" Miyabe huffed.

"Well...I was so curious about the new nursery just near here so I asked if I could go with Bunta and after that he said he was going to meet his lovely girlfriend so I decided to go along too!" Mayu replied while cupping her cheeks while implying something about the 'girlfriend' thing.

"Hikari-senpai what're ya doing there? Sit down!" Christine said to her friend while tapping the empty sit next to her.

"Y-Yeah.." Hikari sits down next to her punked friend her lively personality earlier was totally gone.

"Hey what happen to you Hikari-senpai you were so lively earlier cursing Tsubasa-san so why so silent now.." Aya teased.

"Tsubasa?" Marui asked.

"Woah Tsubasa? What a cool name!" Mayu added in. "Tell me is he handsome?" the only Rikkai girl asked the girls.

"She's a girl, Mayu-senpai," Aya answered.

"Too bad..." Mayu grumbled.

"Oh..she's our schoolmate...Tsubasa did something to Hikari that she couldn't forgive so...she has been cursing her since before you and Mayu came..." Miyabe informed her 'boyfriend'.

"So this Tsubasa what did she do to Hikari exactly..." Marui asked out of the blue making the girls look at him.

"None of your business!" Hikari blurted out

"What?! It's my business you know! We're friends right! Childhood friend to be exact so why can't I worry about you.." Marui shouted back at her.

"Well my business isn't your business anymore..." Just care with Miyabe! That's what she wanted to say but of course she couldn't possibly tell him that!

"Well anyway I heard that the school festival in Hyoutei is getting near, what are you gonna do with it?" It was Mayu who break the awkward silence after Hikari's outburst.

"Well the 'supreme student council' decided that we do a United Nations themed festival." Cassie answered.

"I can still remember our school festival..." Mayu said wickedly. "Marui played as Cinderella's step sister!

Marui blushed, "Mayu! Don't reminisce that horrific moment!

"Yeah, I remember!" Cassie giggled. "Aya and I were there as well as Yuushi. Akaya was Cinderella, it was an epic!"

"Wa! Too bad I didn't see that?!" Miyabe nearly screamed.

"Hey Hikari-senpai, you okay?"

"Y-Yeah Aya I'm fine..." Hikari replied thriftly. Marui was staring at her making her uneasy, seeing him just makes her remember the kiss that they shared. How can she avoid him if they have the same group of friends and most of all they live in the same house.

"So Marui and Mayu, just inform the others to attend our cultural festival that will happen on the day after tomorrow, it will be grand! I assure that as the council's vice president," Cassie said proudly.

"We will never miss it, right Bunta?"

Marui's eyes were just focused on Hikari. "Yeah, I will never miss it..."

* * *

"Miyabe, we have to talk now." Cassie cornered the red head right after their council meeting. Both of them are members of the Supreme Student Council in their Academy and just Atobe called a meeting to discuss and settle everything for the upcoming Cultural Festival that will happen tomorrow.

"Okay," she answered and they march towards Cassie's office.

"You saw Hikari and I together yesterday morning, right?" Cassie started.

Miyabe nodded. "Yeah, why?"

The raven-haired girl grabbed both of her hands. "I wanted to tell you this personally since yesterday but you were always with Hikari.,"

"What's up?"

Cassie grasped both of her hands. " Your plan worked! Hikari finally realized her feelings for Marui, mission accomplished, Miyabe!" Cassie cheered gleefully.

"R-really, t-that's great, Cassie," she replied.

"All we have to do now is to tell her the truth that you and Marui are not really together. She felt so guilty thinking that she's being a mean friend for loving your 'boyfriend' if you only see how hurt she was, Miyabe..." Cassie frowned at her friend who was suppose to be rejoicing the way she is but instead she looks gloomy.

Suddenly, it hit her, Miyabe is also in love with the sugar-freak! "Miyabe, you are in love with him!" it was not a question but a statement.

Tears suddenly pooled the face of the younger Akutagawa. "I didn't mean to fall in love with him, it just happen so fast." Miyabe embraced her tightly and she rub her back trying to console her.

When she calmed down, she pulled away and dried her tears. She inhaled deeply before speaking. "Remember when I told Hikari that I admire Marui ever since middle school? That's true..." Miyabe smiled bitterly. "Jirou-nii talks about him all time, everyone knows that he idolize him and I got curious about him. I research about him trying to figure out why my onii-san adore him a lot. When I saw how he plays tennis I understood why he adores Marui and I eventually adore him secretly. I kept distant knowing that Hikari wouldn't like it if ever I will get near him. I suppress my feelings and I thought that it's already gone but during the time that we acted that we are dating, my admiration towards him was revived and it eventually became deeper, I fell in love with him...I didn't plan this to happen..." she started crying again. "What should I do?"

Cassie held her shoulders and look at her tenderly, "Miyabe, we both know that Marui is in love with Hikari and now Hikari just realized that she's in love with him. You are the mastermind of this charade. Don't ask me what you should do because I know that you know it. Do the right thing."

Miyabe nodded. "I-I don't want to hurt Hikari, I love her and I will not ruin our friendship..."

* * *

Special Thanks to my good my friend Shirahane Aikawa for helping me out.

Please leave a review!


	9. Love Confessions

**Author's Note: **Hello minna-san! Here's another chapter for Bittersweet Love Story. Hope you like it.

**Disclaimer**: I certainly do not own Prince of Tennis

* * *

**Bittersweet Love Story**

"She's like a bitter sweet fruit that he can't pick yet until it has ripened…"

* * *

**Chapter Nine**

**Love Confessions**

Each class in Hyoutei Gakuen should choose a country that they will represent for the Cultural Festival since the theme is United Nations. Moreover, each class will choose a famous landmark in the country that they represent and create a replica that will be exhibited. Since their class chose Nineteenth Century England is the theme, their class spent big amount of money for that event that they even pay for a premier construction company to build their castle, a replica of Buckingham Palace that will represent their class in the exhibit.

Well, it is not only their class that spent a handsome amount of money for that annual event but all the class in Hyoutei Gakuen. Most students are from rich and well known families that they took the event seriously, they really wanted this event to be grand and something to be proud of. Most of the replicas built looks almost exactly as the originals if not just because of the size.

And as a tradition, they will choose what their class will do whether a cafe, a souvenir shop or anything that they desire to earn money since the best class will be chosen based on the profit of their store including the prize that they will have for the winner of the best landmark replica. The class 3-B chose to do a cafe and their classroom was transformed into a very elegant cafe with Victorian era inspired interior design.

And as a freebie for their customer, there's a free photo-op with the student of their class who wears costumes as British Royalties and knights and Hikari is one of them.

"You look very pretty!" Miyabe exclaimed gleefully upon seeing her bestfriend Hikari clad with a Victorian princess ball gown. The dress looks very elegant and stylish. It's an off-shoulder red dress made of layers of expensive silk with crinoline underneath to make the skirt expand. Her long and wavy auburn hair was perfectly curled and tied up together with a ribbon, a few long ringlets of her hair hung over to frame her face.

Hikari grimaced. "This dress is so heavy and it's hard to breathe with the corset! It's too tight!" she complaint.

Miyabe giggled. She's one of the organizer and she's not wearing any costume, she's just so lucky that she doesn't experience her hardship, all she have to do is to make sure that everything is going smoothly which is just unfair. "That's how it should be to be a princess! All you have to do is to sit down there and wait for visitor who wanted to have a photo with a princess, it's just so easy. Our class should be number one!"

She pouted her lips. "Can you at least loosen the corset," she pleaded with

"No. Your waist must look small, did you eat a lot this past days that you gain weight and more fats?"

Her eyes widened. "Of course not! I am always on diet, duh!"

The red head laughed heartily. "Just enjoy this day." Miyabe smiled.

"Whatever," said Hikari as she rolls her eyes.

* * *

Niou whistled. "The brats really took this seriously," he said with a smirk.

Yukimura chuckled. "No wonder. Atobe is the council president here and you know how flashy he is."

"You can say the same with my cousin Cassie, she always wants the best," Aiko remarked with a timid smile.

The Rikkai regulars came to Hyoutei with Mayu and Aiko that afternoon. The two girls wouldn't want to miss this since both of them are friends with Hikari and the others. They wanted to support them all the way.

As they step inside the school premises, they were amazed with the replicas of the famous landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty, London Bridge, Eifel Tower even the Parthenon and the Rome Coliseum that almost look the same as the original if not because they are just smaller. Wherever you look, it was as if you are transported to a different country. There were café, restaurants, and souvenir shops inspired by the culture from other countries.

"Aiko-chan, let's go there!" Mayu exclaimed when she saw a replica of the Eiffel tower and drag her friend. "Gen-chan, take a picture of us!" Mayu told her twin brother and handed him the digital camera.

"Tarundorou! Why are you ordering me?" the mighty emperor Sanada almost shouted at his twin sister.

Mayu pouted childishly. "I am not ordering you. I am asking a favor."

Sanada frowned at his sister but still took their picture. "Arigatou Gen-chan, you are the best!"

"Mayu-senpai you are so great for making Sanada-fukubucho obey you!" Akaya said with amazement.

"Tarundorou! My sister can't order me around!"

Akaya shivered in terror, he wouldn't want to make his vice-captain angry, of all the people. "G-gomennasai, fukubuchou," he stuttered.

Yukimura chuckled again while Renji just scribble on his note.

Marui just ignored his teammates because he is so busy looking around wishing to see Hikari."I wonder where Hikari's class is..." Marui said, looking around.

Jackal tapped his shoulder. "Don't worry Bunta, we will eventually see her," Jackal assured his doubles partner.

"Be patient, lover boy. We will find their class," Niou teased.

"Let's look around," Yagyuu suggested as he adjust his glass.

"Akaya!" A female voice called their junior ace. They saw Aya walking towards them with a raven-haired girl. Both of them wear traditional belly dancing outfit; blue skirts, and black top with hip scarves, coin belts, veils and accessories that are very stylish.

"You are all here! I am so happy to see all of you!" Aya said happily.

"Hi, Aya-chan, it's been a while." Yukimura smiled at them.

"OiAya why are you wearing that kind of clothes? You are exposing your big belly, ha-ha-ha!" Akaya mocked her. "Ouch!" he complaint when Aya hit his head forcefully.

"My belly is not big, Bakaya!" She was red because of anger and embarrassment.

"You two are really cute," Mayu remarked.

"Why don't you introduce us to your friend?" Yukimura said.

"Ah yes! This my friend Mogami Christine." Aya gestured to her friend.

"Hi," she thriftly said. Aya eyed her friend and mouthed 'bow' which she obeyed and bowed lightly at their Rikkai friends.

"Hey, Aya-chan, do you know where Hikari's class is?" Marui asked.

Aya nodded with a grin. "Hai, we'll accompany you there but...go to our store first. We have have a replica of Taj Mahal and we sell souvenirs as well."

"Sounds interesting," Yagyuu said.

"What the heck is TajMahal?" Akaya inquired.

"Akaya, you don't know? What a shame, don't you listen to your History teacher?!" Aya eyed her twin incredulously.

"TajMahal is a famous landmark in India," Renji started. "It's a white marble mausoleum located in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. It was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, MumtazMahal. The TajMahal is widely recognized as 'the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage.'"

"Ah." Akaya nods his head vigorously as he listen to their dataman. "I wanted to see your little Ta- whatever you call it."

"Taj Mahal," Renji said.

Aya smiled mischievously at her twin brother. "Listen to your History Teacher next time Bakaya!" she giggled and Akaya just scowled at her. "Come on, follow us to our little India!"

* * *

The Rikkai regulars enjoyed eating Indian foods and watching the belly dancing presentation of class 2-A. Marui did have fun being in Aya's class little India but he really wanted to see Hikari now!

Marui approached the female Kirihara. "Uhm, Aya-chan, can you tell me now where Hikari is?"

Aya giggled girlishly. "Ah, senpai. You are so excited!" she playfully hit his shoulder.

"I just wanted to see her..."

Ever since that night that they've kiss he haven't talk to her and he even rarely see her. They live in the same house but he doesn't see her much since she go home late and then leave the house early, obviously avoiding her.

With the kiss that they've shared, he felt that she has feelings for him too. He wanted to tell the truth that he loves her and that Miyabe and him are not a couple.

Aya smiled widely at her red-haired senpai. "Okay, fine! Let's go to England."

"Hey, we are coming too," Niou remarked.

The Rikkai regulars followed Aya and Christine. On their way, they saw more stalls inspired by different cultures and Nations around the globe and more replicas.

It's almost twilight but there are still a lot of visitors coming in and enjoying the event such as their group. They followed Aya to a three-storey building near the auditorium. They went inside until they reach the third floor. Then. they saw the room of class 3-B and were welcome by female students wearing long black maid uniforms with white apron. The classroom look very elegant in its Victorian era inspired cafe. Paintings hang at the wall, carpeted floors, chandeliers hanging on the ceiling, lighted antique candelabras at the center of each round tea tables. They saw the other students wearing princess and prince's costumes and knights armor.

He heard a familiar voice. "I'm so tired!" Hikari complained.

"But all you did was sit down and smile," Miyabe said with a pout on lips.

"It was tiring! I've been doing this all day!" the brunette complained again.

"Hikari-senpai, Miyabe-senpai!"Aya called the two girls.

They looked at their direction, Miyabe is wearing a big smile but Hikari looks dead serious. They gaze at each other for a while but Hikari looked away first. She looks beautiful in that dress she's wearing, she really look like a princess.

"Minna!"Miyabe exclaimed. "I'm glad you came!"

"Nice cafe you got here," Yukimura commented.

"Thanks! Come on have a taste of our pastries and English tea,"Miyabe said. "Or have a photo-op with our princess." Miyabe gestured Hikari.

"You really look like a princess, Hikari-chan!" Aiko complimented her.

Hikari smiled. "Thanks."

Then they started taking pictures not only with Hikari but with the other students as well who wears costumes.

"You look lovely," Marui complimented in a soft voice after their photo-op. Hikari didn't respond and just ignore him.

"Bunta," Miyabe tread towards them and held his arm. "I will show you something, come on!" she said. Then she move closer to him and whispered. "We need to talk." He looked at her with a questioning look in his violet orbs. "Come on, Bunta!" then she drag him away. He looked back at Hikari, her brown eyes looks sad but she turned back and stride back to her seat.

* * *

Miyabe brought Marui to the campus garden at the back of the High School main building. It's the favorite place of the students where they usually their vacant hours. Most of the time, there's a lot of student around there but not today since they are all busy with the festival.

The sun is starting to set reflecting a dramatic orangy hue in the man-made lake. The red-haired girl stare at the breath-taking scene before and inhaled deeply before she speaks. "I think we are mission accomplished, Marui," she tried so hard to make her voice sounds excited.

"What do you mean?" Marui asked.

Miyabe spun and faced Marui with a smile. "She already admitted her feelings, not to me but to Cassie. She will never admit her feelings to me because she thought that you and I are together."

Marui's bright violet eyes widened. "Really, she said that she also loves me?

Miyabe nodded. "Yeah and I think we should now 'break up,'" she giggled. "And you should confess to her."

"I actually tried but she always shove me away," he said after a deep audible sigh.

Miyabe beamed at him and tapped his shoulder ligthly. " That's why we really should end this act."

"Are we going to tell her that everything that we did is just an act?" he asked.

_No, you are wrong because for me, not everything is just an act,_ she thought bitterly. "Yeah, we will tell her the truth."

"She might get mad, don't you think?"

Miyabe nodded. "She might get mad but we have to tell her the truth," she answered. "She care for me lot and if she thought that we really had a relationship even though she loves you, she will never confess her true feelings."

"You have a point."

"Don't worry, I will be the one to explain everything to her since I am the mastermind of this act. I know that she will understand why we did this," Miyabe assured.

"Arigatou, Miyabe-chan," Marui said.

"Not a problem, Hikari is a really stubborn girl and she really needs some push," Miyabe said with a smile. "C-can I hug you for the last time that we are a 'couple?'"

"Of course you can, silly girl!" The self-proclaimed tensai exclaimed and walk closer to Miyabe to give the girl a tight bear hug. "Arigatou," he whispered to her ear.

Miyabe hugged him tighter and close her eyes to cherish that moment. She close her eyes tighter to suppress her tears. _I love you but you will never be mine._

* * *

Hikari's cellphone ring and it was Miyabe who's calling her. Since she went out with Marui, the two of them haven't return to their classroom though the Rikkai regulars already left and went to Atobe's Greek inspired cafe.

"Hello, Miyabe?"

"Hikari..." her bestfriend's voice sounds like she's crying.

"Miyabe, what's wrong?" she asked worriedly. She can hear her muffled sobs in the other line. "Miyabe, did something happen?"

"I need you here," Miyabe said in between her sobs.

"Where are you?"

"I'm just here at the garden, near the man-made lake..."

"I'll be there, wait for me," she said and bolted out of the room. She's having a hard time running with that long and heavy dress but she have to reach her as soon as she can.

What did that sugar-freak do to her friend? If he did something horrible to her, he will regret it.

It's already dark, good thing that the pathway has lighted lamp post. "Miyabe!" she saw her sitting on the bench near the man-made lake that looks very beautiful under the moonlight. The water reflects the moonlight and glistens like diamonds.

She stride toward her. "Miyabe, what's wrong?"

The red head look up at her and then smile. "Nothings wrong with me."

Hikari eyed her sharply. "My God, Miyabe! I was worried about you! You were crying over the phone!"

Miyabe grinned. "So that you will come here at once."

"And why is that?" she crossed her arms as she looked at her sharply.

"We need to talk." Miyabe tapped the space beside her. "Have a seat, princess."

She rolled her eyes but still sit down beside her friend. "That better be important. I run on my way here although this dress is so long and heavy."

Miyabe smiled widely. "It's about Marui and I."

Her eyes went wide. "Did he do something terrible to you?"

Miyabe shook her head with a smile. "No."

"Then what is it?" she asked with a frown.

"We are not together."

"You broke up with him?"

"No."

"Then he broke up with you?!"

"No."

The crease in her forehead deepened. "Then what do you mean?"

"We were never together..."

"What?!" she snapped.

"Calm down. It was my idea," Miyabe said. "I always know that you love him but you just don't want to admit it even to yourself. So, I told Marui to act that we really like each other and make you jealous. That way, you will admit your true feelings and I know you already did."

Hikari eyed her incredulously. "How can you do that to me?!You are my bestfriend but you make me believe in those lies."

"I did that because I love you and I care for you. You are very stubborn and I know that you love him but you just made yourself believe that you hate him. Admit it, because of what we did, you realize your feelings for Marui, didn't you?"

Hikari was taken aback and blushed profusely. Well, she's got a point...

"I want your happiness..." Miyabe held her hand tightly. "You love Marui, right?"

Hikari blushed harder. "Y-yes. I-I love him."

Miyabe grinned widely. "You heard that right?" said louder.

"Yes, I did." Then, Marui went out from the back of the cherry blossom tree with a wide smile on his lips.

Her eyes widened and her cheeks flushed. "Miyabe," she hissed.

Miyabe grinned at her and stood took Marui's hand and dragged him towards Hikari. "Now, settle everything, okay?" she winked at them and run away.

When Miyabe left, the two of them stayed silent. Hikari just sit down and stare at the glinting water of the lake while Marui just stand beside her as he watches her face.

What will she say anyway, he already heard her when she admitted that she loves him, right? He should be the one to do the first move since he is the man, not her.

The silence continues and it pisses the hell out of her! She decided just to leave than wait for him to say anything. She stood up and started trailing off but Marui held her wrist and pull her close to him. "Let me go if you don't have any plan of talking to me," she said as she looks up at him sharply.

"I love you," he said softly with tenderness in his bright violet eyes.

Hearing those three words from his mouth makes her heart melt because of overwhelming happiness. "I always love you, my chubby little friend," Marui said. "Always."

"Bunta..." Her heart is beating eratically against her chest, she is just so happy.

"Will you let me court you?" he asked her straight in her eyes.

She shook her head. "No."

A glint of sadness is evident in his eyes. "I can't court you?"

"No- I mean, you don't need to court me...I already said that I-you heard me earlier right? I won't repeat myself again." She pouted and looked away.

"What did you say earlier?"

"I told you already, I will not say it again."

His hands cupped her face and he looked at her lovingly. "I want to hear it again, please?"

She gulped and blushed again. "I-I love you..."

Marui smiled widely. "Does this mean that you are now my girl?"

Hikari rolled her eyes. "I love you, you love me, what else do you think?"

He chuckled and pinched both of her cheeks. "Still feisty as ever but I love that side of yours." She smiled at him. "Ah, your smile is lovely. It's been a while since the last time that you smile at me because you always scowls at me."

"Because you are very irritating!" she said with a smile still on her lips.

His smile faded and looked at her seriously. His head slowly dipped closer and she just waited for his lips on hers. She didn't wait that long, soon enough, his lips touched her anticipating lips, his arms encircled around her and pull her closer to his body and her arms are around his nape, clinging to him. At first it was just a light kiss but they soon the kiss deepened, pouring their love for each other.

It seems forever until they finally let go of each other's lips but they stayed close together. Her cheeks were burning and so were his. He embraced her tightly and kissed her hair. She buried her face against his chest and press her body closer to him. Inhaling his scent and being inside his arms felt as if she's in heaven.

* * *

Review?

Just so you know...this story is near its end.


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